


Desert Bloom

by Pookaseraph



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fantastic Racism, Insomnian Society, Lots of Politics..., Some Politics or Something, bit of porn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-12 04:18:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 43,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11154096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pookaseraph/pseuds/Pookaseraph
Summary: After the Crystal declares Noctis the Chosen King, it soon became clear that Gladiolas Amicitia wasnotClarus's firstborn son. This leaves Cor Leonis with the unenviable task of tracking down his Captain's past indiscretions in search of the Prince's Shield. Iris is a bastard of little note, and a member of the Galahdian Resistance, she never knew her father, and had no particular desire to... fate has other ideas for her.





	1. Chapter 1

Iris tried to make heads or tails of the Galahdian horizon, obscured as it was in the dust storm. She wore her usual light clothes, but she'd wrapped her cloak over her head and mouth to keep the dust out of her face. Her eyes were covered with goggles, but that did nothing to help with the bright sun even obscured in the dust.

"Any luck?" She turned back to the small shack she and her guys were holed up in.

Libertus had the headphones on, listening, but he shook his head. Beside him, Nyx finished pacing and then lazily settled in to sharpen his kukri. The two of them were a few years older, but they seemed to vacillate between thinking of her as a big sister and a little sister. Today she was their big sister, it seemed.

"Well, our contact's sins don't include punctuality," Iris said, grousing without much heat.

"Not like Lucians learn how to navigate dust storms in their high walled city," Nyx answered.

"But you and Libertus want to join that Kingsglaive crap," Iris answered. She didn't hate Lucis, far from it, but that didn't mean she was keen on bleeding and dying for a King that had abandoned her homeland to the Empire when she was just a baby. She was eighteen now, old enough to be pissed and skilled, so she used her fire for her homeland.

"Better than sitting around here and bleeding for a bunch of people who whine over a delay in their coffee when we score a military win," Nyx answered.

Iris couldn't disagree with that either. So many people were happy enough to live in the Empire, more than willing to forget the way their fathers and mothers had died during the invasion seventeen years ago. Their memory was conveniently short.

The three of them had banded together within the Galahdian Resistance, orphans and bastards... well Iris was a bastard, but all of them were orphans thanks to the Empire. Their memories were long enough. They wouldn't forget where they came from.

"Besides, me and Libertus owe the King our lives," Nyx continued.

"Please," she said. "Tell me again of the gallant Prince and his retinue swooping down from the heavens like a vengeful Bahamut smiting the wicked Ifrit."

Nyx reached up and shoved the side of her head, and Iris shoved back, only to catch a glint on the horizon and grab for her binoculars. A lone man on a dun colored chocobo rode along the horizon, the light caught the mirror poorly because of the storm but it was still visible.

Iris grabbed the huge lamp that was tucked under the half wall, and she pointed it towards the man, just flashing 'safe' before the mirror was tucked away and Iris saw the chocobo and rider reorient toward Iris's listening post and spurred the bird to go faster.

Iris watched his progress, after he knew his goal he was focused and arrived quickly, dismounting and carefully picketing the chocobo before Iris ushered him inside.

It took all of them a moment, door closed, dust inside settling, and Iris pulled off her hood while the guys handed their visitor a canteen. He shook his head, drawing out his own, and then pulled his own hood down and goggles up to reveal bright blue eyes and a full beard and took a drink.

"My contacts, I hope," he said with a chuckle. "Cor Leonis."

"Holy shit!" Libertus said, jumping to his feet. "They sent the Immortal?!"

As far as Iris was concerned that just made the whole thing more suspicious. Lucis sends one man 'looking for someone' and rather than a no name they send the second in command of the Crownsguard?

"It's an honor to meet you again, Sir," Nyx said. "Nyx, Nyx Ulric. This is my friend Libertus Ostium. We were at..."

"Haldrian's Gorge," the Immortal finished, he offered a faint smile and a nod. "Glad to see you kept up the good fight."

No thanks to Lucis, Iris wanted to bite out, but she held her tongue.

"Iris," she offered. The lack of family name should have spoken volumes, but she didn't know if the Immortal knew Galahd well enough to realize it. "We're going to wait out the storm, should be another six hours or so. Daemons are scarce around here so well be pushing about an hour after nightfall to get to a Haven, we'll camp and then take you to... whatever you're here for."

"That might be complicated," he said, and Iris watched his mouth as it formed a wry little smile. "I'm looking for a person."

"So we were told," Iris answered. "Might help if you narrowed it down a bit."

"Well... I don't know much, would be a kid, aged about seventeen, dark hair..."

Iris and Nyx traded a glance and snorted. There were tens of thousands of people who fit that description.

"Yes, I know," the Immortal growled. "I'm looking for a single piece of sand in the desert. He would be... baseborn."

Iris felt her back straighten. No one went looking for bastards. "He?"

"I'm not sure," the man admitted. "It could be a girl. The mother's name is Velouria. I don't know the family or clan, but she was a resistance fighter back during the fall of Galahd."

Beside her Nyx frowned and answered for her, which saved Iris the trouble of trying to think of something to say. "Well... Velouria's a pretty popular name, but baseborn... you'd be lucky if the kid made it out of the womb."

"He did," Cor answered.

How he could be so certain when he wasn't even certain if he was looking for a boy or a girl, Iris didn't know, but the truth was... she was an eighteen year old girl, baseborn, to her mother Velouria... The Immortal had come to Galahd to find her.

*

Of the three resistance fighters Cor met at the border listening post, he would have first guessed the boy Nyx was the leader among them, but it took only a few minutes to realize that the true boss of the trio was the girl, Iris. She used the Galahdian pronunciation of the flower 'Eee-ris', an odd quirk to a pretty name. It wasn't an obvious first guess of leader, she was petite, probably not five and a half feet, but her posture exuded confidence in a way the other two didn't. The trio of scars that slashed across her right cheek - assassination MT by the look of it - just said that she had the reflexes to survive a fight that would kill most.

She was also the most wary of him, which Cor just ascribed to good instincts. They had several hours while the storm continued to rage on outside, Iris brought his bird inside, and they waited.

The two boys spent the next hour trying to talk to him, telling him about their desire to join the Kingsglaive, their time in the resistance after Lucis had pulled out seventeen years ago. Iris settled in at the listening post and largely ignored the two of them. After an hour or so, Cor scratched out a message, pulled out his code book and encoded it, before he passed it over to Iris.

"Would you be able to send this out?" He asked.

She looked down at it, and then frowned: 'ARRIVED. CONTACT MADE.' and then his identifier 'CC4490'. Iris nodded, and then pulled on the headphones and then tapped out the message into the aether, or the air as the case was. "Do you expect a response?"

"No."

She handed the paper back, and he pulled out the lighter to leave the paper to burn in one of the metal basins around the small shack. "So, might as well ask: what do you want the kid for?"

Cor had expected the question, but he still had no good response.

Back home in Lucis, the news that Noctis was to be the Chosen King came down from the Crystal only a few months earlier. Regis and his closest advisers - Clarus and Cor, mostly - had been scrambling to get things in order; it was a secret that would need to be kept from most of the kingdom, after all. The Kingsglaive was Regis's brainchild, but that was still a work in progress.

For Clarus's part, however, it soon became obvious that although Gladio was Clarus's son, he didn't have the same fortitude and strength that was expected from a King's Shield. The position was divinely given to the firstborn of the Amicitia line, and Gladio was strong, but he wasn't where he 'should have been'.

In short, a perusal of various history books quickly made it obvious that Clarus had fathered the Shield of the Chosen King before his marriage to Jasmine. That meant the kid was gods knew where, fathered on gods knew who, and Marshal Cor Leonis, The Immortal, was apparently gifted with the enviable task of checking wherever his Captain had sown his seed.

"He's important."

Iris gave him a look that said she absolutely didn't believe him, or if she did, knew he was giving her the tiniest fraction of the story. "If you want more, you'll need to give up more, Immortal."

Cor glanced over to her, saw the way she was eyeing him and sizing him up. She obviously wanted him to think she knew something, but he couldn't tell if she was just trying to squeeze him for information without having any cards to play in return.

"Right now you're just talk," Cor answered.

Her face shifted a bit, and Cor watched the deliberation cross her features. That was the moment Cor realized she did have something to share, she wasn't searching for a good lie, she was searching for whether or not she wanted to play the game she'd started with Cor.

"Eighteen summers, born in March," she said.

Clarus and Velouria had only been together for a total of about four months over the course of two years, there were _very_ few times when a child could have been born to them. Iris had just offered him a birthday smack in the middle. A child conceived just at the end of the first Galahdian offensive would have been born in March, eighteen years ago. There was always the possibility that it was a very lucky guess, but it was one hell of a guess if so.

"You know him?"

Iris nodded. "Lucis doesn't send the second in command of the Crownsguard to go looking for 'just some kid'," she said, and her eyes fixed on him, watching his ever move, every flicker of his face. "Why him?"

Cor glanced over to Libertus and Nyx, finding himself wondering if they might--

"They don't know him," Iris interrupted his thoughts, voice firm.

It could have been a bluff, but Nyx's face had betrayed no recognition when he'd given the name, and he hadn't been watching Iris closely enough to gauge her reaction.

"His father is Clarus Amicitia, the Shield of the King," Cor said, his voice low enough to just reach Iris's ears. "His blood makes him Shield of the Prince, Noctis, and I need to convince him to come with me to Lucis."

The girl stumbled back, shocked, and eyes wide. It was an obvious tell, but Cor didn't know for what. Her face went blank a moment later, and he watched her consider her options, thinking, turning everything over in her head. "What if he doesn't want to be a Shield?"

He and Clarus hadn't discussed that eventuality. Cor hadn't decided what he wanted to do in that case, but... "I have to convince him otherwise."

"You can start by convincing me of your good intentions," she answered, and then he watched her jaw shift, mulling it over. "If you do that, I will take you to him."

'Good intentions' were hardly so easily proven, but he understood. Iris seemed to know Clarus's son, and cared about him enough to guard him from Cor.

"Alright," he answered.

"You were promised to us for three months," she said. Cor winced, she didn't know why the hell Clarus had agreed to that, but Cor didn't mind fighting with freedom fighters. "If you're extra good, I'll put in a nice word."

He smiled, just slightly. "What's a little blackmail among recent acquaintances?"

"Extortion," she answered, and then winked. "Besides, you were going to help anyway, right?"

He supposed he was, and having a bead on Clarus's son was more than he expected within an hour of making contact with the resistance.

For now, he was at the mercy of Iris, and he supposed there were worse fates.

*

Iris checked the sun and then her clock before she ordered the guys to set the station up to receive and rebroadcast and they moved out.

Cor sent his chocobo back home, and that seemed to be the end of his ties back to Lucis for the moment.

As they walked, Nyx made their topic of conversation: 'how hard is it to get into the Kingsglaive?' and Iris listened with one ear.

The answer boiled down to: piss easy if you could use the King's magic, fucking impossible if you couldn't.

Cor spoke in relatively glowing terms of a few of the recruits that were making the spine of the unit. The entire structure of the unit was still in flux, waiting to be formed. Iris didn't know how she felt about the whole thing. It seemed like people were being asked to bleed and die for a King who didn't love them... Galahd wasn't even technically part of Lucis any longer if you went by the treaties and map lines.

Iris used their time walking to think. If Cor was correct, she now knew who her father was. Before Mom had died, she had always told Iris that she wouldn't necessarily have wanted to be her father's daughter, now Iris understood what her mother meant. Obviously her mother had been with the last Shield, she must have known that it meant to swear to live and die for the King.

_'Protecting people is in your blood, Iris'_

Apparently that was more true than she would have thought.

An hour or so after dark they arrived at a Haven and the four of them settled in and Nyx started to cook up his special curry glop and Iris sat at the edge of the rocky outcropping and considered.

Cor seemed to know where his priorities should be - sucking up to Iris, so he came to sit down beside her.

"So... what does being a Shield mean?" she asked after he sat.

He looked at her, and tilted his head for a moment. "It's complicated. I think the most obvious answer is he is supposed to protect his King."

"Hell of a thing to ask someone whose country got shat on by the King," Iris said exactly what was on her mind for that.

"I know," Cor answered. "I won't tell you that Galahd didn't get a raw deal, but I know I don't have to tell you that it's always a lot more complicated than just wishing something will turn out well."

Iris thought back to only a few weeks ago, when she and the guys had managed to torch a munitions depot and keep the supply of letters and outside goods flowing. The towns nearby had dozens of people bitching about how it meant more dust in the air or more MTs patrolling, as though the only thing that mattered was a minor inconvenience and not the fact that their whole country had been taken over by the Empire. "I know..."

That was why Nyx and Libertus wanted to join the Kingsglaive. No matter how much the King might have done them wrong, he also saved their lives. It was impossible for Iris to tell them they were were wrong... but being a Shield felt even more weighty than that. She had considered joining the Kingsglaive, but that didn't make it an easy choice.

"Beyond that, a Shield is his King's strength when he is weak, his reason and forbearance when he's brash..."

Iris nodded. "Why does it matter which of Clarus's sons it is?"

Cor sat, silent, for long minutes, long enough that Nyx came over and gave them both his curried soup mess that he liked to cook. Iris blew on it and dunked the flatbread in it before she chewed. She almost forgot that she had asked Cor a question by the time he spoke again.

"Noctis, the Prince... he's going to have a hard life, he needs his Shield. More than that, I can't say to anyone but Clarus's son." Cor seemed set on that point, and Iris knew she would have to respect that. It was clear there _was_ more, though. Something about this Prince meant that he needed all of the strength he could get, enough so that Cor was willing to be strung along by a vague promise in the hope that it would get him to... well, Iris.

"What's he like, the Prince?"

"I should probably tell you the good stuff," Cor said with a chuckle. "But really, he's just a kid. He's seven, he's rambunctious, he's got a chamberlain named Ignis who's a year older than him, also a sweet kid. He can be a bit lazy, but he's pretty good with a sword for his age. He's a kid..."

'Just a kid' fated for a hard life. Iris almost wondered if they had that in common. She didn't know if she was really fated to be a Shield, to protect Noctis, but she couldn't deny that some small part of her had always known she was supposed to protect people. It wasn't _just_ because her mother had told her to.

She always seemed to do that, find people she felt she needed to protect. Maybe it was some sort of mothering instinct, but it always felt the most right when she was beating the ever-loving shit out of something.

Iris ignored the uncomfortable thoughts buzzing around in her head and ate another bite of dinner. A bit later, she turned around and returned to the fire, and Cor did the same.

"Unless I hear otherwise... well we are supposed to escort the Marshal wherever he asked," Iris said a moment later to the three men around the fire.

She turned to see where Cor was smirking, just slightly. "And until I hear otherwise, I'll be working with the resistance, in this case, you three. Iris has promised me information about the person I'm looking for."

"You know them?" Nyx asked, surprised.

"I do."

"Wait," Libertus frowned. "You're stringing the Marshal of the Crownsguard along? Iris, think about this, we want to make a _good_ impression, right?"

Iris chuckled, and then glanced over to where Cor was sitting, bemused. "Then show him what Galahdians can do. I'm sure he'll put in a good word for us if I put in a good word for him."

It felt a bit ridiculous, all told, keeping Cor at arms length, but she needed time to be certain, to be sure. Unlike Nyx and Libertus, she wasn't ready to serve Lucis; not only that, if what Cor said was right she was going to be asked to do a lot more than just serve Lucis. She would have to serve a young boy she had never met with her life, and she wasn't certain she was prepared for that.

*

Iris and her little three man band turned out to be surprisingly competent freedom fighters.

Over the next weeks, Cor found himself heavily integrated into the guerrilla tactics of the Galahdian resistance, or at least one small fraction of it. They operated in an interesting mix of hierarchy and freeform, Iris and the others sometimes got objectives to accomplish and other times just did what seemed smart for the area they were in. He also began to gain a profound understanding of why Iris so tentative about actually giving up more information about Clarus's son.

One of the very first targets that they were assigned was a supply convoy that was headed out of Galahd and back to Niflheim.

"Most of it's crap," Iris had explained to him, "but some of it's food and a lot of the smaller towns end up going without if a drop ship with their 'recovery assistance' never shows up."

They'd overtaken two smaller troop transports, flown them out into the middle of nowhere, and then met up with a trader who had ties to the resistance. Cor helped load up the half-dozen beasts of burden that the trader was going to use to smuggle the items to an outlying area, and the four of them were congratulating themselves on a job well done when six transports barfed MTs on their position. Cor wasn't an idiot. There was no way the timing was a coincidence, and Iris and the men knew it as well.

"That craven piece of shit," Iris had spit out.

The fight itself was fairly quick, Nyx and Libertus were quite competent with their kukri, and Iris was a whirlwind of death. Cor barely had need to draw his katana, but the four of them beat a quick retreat after their victory. Cor found himself carrying Iris over his back after it became obvious she'd badly twisted an ankle. Camp was made in an old listening outpost, and Iris tapped out a report back to whatever headquarters they had while Cor splinted her ankle.

"It happens a lot," Nyx said, glowering out over the sands. "Suddenly someone who was helpful last month decides that a little extra gil is worth selling out a chunk of the resistance. I'm pretty sure we've lost a group or two to that guy. Next time I see him he's getting split right in the skull. That's why we're so tight, I guess? Iris's last group, one of the guys sold the rest of them out, killed four guys in the middle of the night. Iris only made it out alive because she fucking caught the--"

"I'm right here," she growled, and then she reached out and whacked Nyx in the head.

A few moments later, she pulled up a sleeve, and when Cor looked up at them he saw the scarred remains of a thick gash against the back of her wrist. Cor couldn't quite piece together the attack, but she had to have incredible reflexes to survive such a preemptive attack, especially if she was half asleep like Nyx's story suggested.

"Give it a day or so. We'll go after him and I'll give him every single one of my regards."

They didn't manage to find the trader personally. To no one's surprise the goods that they had stolen didn't arrive where they were supposed to be bound, but the word was out among the various groups and that was all they could hope for.

Over the next weeks, Iris asked a hell of a lot of questions about Insomnia, and Cor was getting the impression that she was considering following Nyx and Libertus into the Kingsglaive. He sort of wanted to make a suggestion for the Crownsguard. No doubt she would make a fine warrior in either one, but the Crownsguard could definitely use a more thinking, organizing, and tactical assessments. She was sharp, and that more than anything made Cor...

He knew he wasn't fooling anyone, least of all himself: she was a young, attractive, strong woman and she had absolutely no compunctions about being exactly that. It was compelling, and Cor... well he noticed. It didn't change anything, of course, he still worked with her, tried to convince her that he was earnest and wouldn't do wrong by Clarus's son...

They went through a lot together by the time he'd been there two months: they'd torched more supplies, redistributed others, they'd scrapped more than their share of MTs, and Cor had absolutely missed the feeling of being in the thick like he was. He was more used to the larger scale conflicts, proper wars with proper armies facing each other, man to man, but this was almost as good and maybe better. Cor was reminded of how much difference one man could make if he put his effort on the right point.

"So how will you know him?" she asked.

"Hrm?"

"How will you know he is who I say he is?"

Cor had to admit he hadn't really considered the issue for a few days. Iris didn't always prod the topic of the Amicitia child. Cor suspected she was in contact with Clarus's son now and again and the man was responsible for at least some of her questions, but he'd gladly answer them if it meant that convincing the boy to come back was easier rather than harder. "We fight." Cor shrugged. "I'm considered one of the best swordsmen in all of Lucis, and even with minimal training... I'll know."

"Just like that?" she asked, and she sounded almost disappointed.

He nodded.

Iris fell silent after that, and the next day they headed out to do some damage to a base on the edge of Galahd Canyon. "After this... I'll take you to your Shield's child."

Two days' travel from the Canyon, Iris called for an early evening, and Cor didn't argue with it, just helped the guys work on dinner and start a fire.

"I've decided," she said, voice soft, as the two of them sat on one side of the fire and Nyx and Libertus sat on the other. He made a questioning noise and she turned towards him and he could see her dark eyes were clouded. "Draw your sword."

A moment later, she stood, and Cor frowned as Iris drew her sword, a wickedly long cutlass. She didn't attack him, just calmly stepped away from the fire and out of the protective wards of the Haven. After a few moments to puzzle he followed after her.

"Why are we fighting?" He asked. He'd never crossed blades with Iris, she wasn't some idiot who needed a pissing match to prove herself, so he had taken it as a given she was skilled and moved on.

"... You'll know."

He didn't have long to reflect on her words, and Iris came at him with a measured swing, and Cor parried easily. After that, there was no deliberation to her fighting, she was ferocious. Cor had seen her fight, watched her hack down MTs and daemons and beasts, but having that bear down on him was something else.

Cor was fast, his katana style demanded it, but he was shocked how easily Iris seemed to keep up, and was never surprised by his rapid countering of her blows. He barely had a chance to think, let alone reflect, but he had only fought two people in his entire life who had made him feel this off balance, one was his Captain, and the other was the shade of the first Shield.

He attempted to use a draw technique, hit her before she knew what hit her, and instead she just parried, hard, with enough force to stagger his draw, but she didn't quite land the follow-through.

When he looked up, he saw Iris was panting, breathing hard... and she looked toward him with a look that said she was waiting for his next move.

"You're Velouria's _daughter_ ," he said, feeling like he was an idiot for not realizing it sooner, although he wasn't certain how he would have known.

She closed her eyes, and then nodded, before she sheathed her sword. "And after we finish with this base, Nyx, Libertus, and I will go to Insomnia with you."

"Holy shit, Iris!" Libertus broke the strange calm and quiet that settled over the Haven and he scrambled out to stand next to her. "You just... blocked a strike from the _Immortal_!"

"Just lucky, I guess," she answered, and then walking back to the Haven, sitting on the far edge of it, knees curled up to her chest. Libertus went to try to talk to her more, but Nyx reached out and took his friend's wrist to keep him from going.

Cor walked over to where she sat, and he saw that her head was bowed, resting on her knees that she hugged tight to her chest.

"Why can't it be my younger brother?" she asked, voice soft, asking the question that Cor had promised the answer to close to two months ago.

"Noctis..." Cor checked over his shoulder, Nyx and Libertus were far enough away. "He's the Chosen King... the Last King."

Iris's head came up and she turned towards him, eyes curious and questioning.

"And because of that he will need every drop of strength you can lend him, every ounce of will, and every scrap of tenderness... The Shield of the Last King will need to be strong enough to shepherd him through the trails that are to come, carry him when he can no longer crawl, so that he can die at the appointed hour and save all of Eos."

Her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open, and Cor saw that his words had caused faint moisture to begin to gather in her eyes.

"That's why it has to be you."

He turned away and he bowed his own head, because he knew he had given her a heavy burden in that moment, but she was an Amicitia. She could carry it, she would have to.

"I'm sorry."

She said nothing, but in the morning she was still there, she told her men they would go to Lucis with Cor, and they headed off to the Canyon to finish their tasks.


	2. Chapter 2

Clarus Amicitia reflected on the fact that he was a man who knew almost exactly where his life had gone off the rails and was completely powerless to blame anyone but himself for his own misfortune. His wife was having trouble speaking with him or looking him in the eyes; his son couldn't seem to stand to be in the same room as him. He couldn't even blame them.

Gladio was the easiest to understand, Clarus had spent years speaking to his son about his duty, and then he took it away. He couldn't ignore the way he'd left his nine year old son, who he loved dearly, to flounder confused and without purpose.

If Cor eventually found his elder son, and his reports suggested he would, Clarus would have to open his heart to this young man and hurt his son even more. A father wasn't supposed to love one of his children better, but he found he didn't know how to speak to Gladio any longer, their relationship so clouded with now-defunct purpose.

A soft knock came on his office door, and Clarus called for them to enter, and Dustin came and held a sheet of paper. "Report from the Marshal."

"Nothing to report?" Clarus asked.

"Returning with package," Dustin corrected him. Clarus sat up straighter. "The radio operator says it came in about five hours ago from the Lucinia Sound."

"A boat..." Clarus realized. "They could be here any time."

"They?"

Clarus shook his head to say he wouldn't answer that question. "Thank you, Dustin. I'll need a Crownsguard credit card, and the quartermaster's time later today."

His assistant nodded and then headed out, leaving Clarus to consider his life and how complicated it was about to get.

A half hour or so passed and another knock came. Probably Dustin again.

"Yes?"

When the door opened this time it revealed Cor, face still covered in the ridiculous beard he cultivated when he was on assignment that made him look several years older than his relatively boyish thirty-one. No one stood behind or beside him and Clarus stood, walking towards his friend.

After a brief moment, Cor eased open the door the rest of the way and revealed... a girl. She was dressed in the tight wrappings that insulated native Galahdians from the elements, and had a cloak draped over both of her shoulders. A sword was strapped to her back and a pair of kukri at her hips and a trio of scars were etched across her nose and cheek. The resemblance to Velouria wasn't uncanny by any means, but it was there in her stature and her fine nose and huge eyes. It was more that she carried herself like an Amicitia, even if she was mostly ignorant of her blood.

"Hello..." His voice was tentative, and he took a few more steps to draw closer to her. "I'm Clarus Amicitia."

"... My father," she answered, and then she nodded. "Iris."

"Iris." Clarus looked down at her and tried to tell what he was feeling. There was a vague acknowledgement that transcended logic and reason, and some level of pride that it was obvious she had already grown into a warrior even in her scant years. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm sorry we didn't meet sooner."

"My mother kept me from you." She nodded. It was the only explanation, he'd seen Velouria again, a year after Iris was born, and she'd made no mention of a child. "But wishing cannot change my blood. I want to meet the Prince. After that, I am yours to command."

It was... strange for Clarus. Before he knew about the existence of a child, of Iris, he and Gladio were quite close. He was stern, he knew that, but Gladio always saw him as a man he could come to, and a man who would provide comfort and assurance as well as guidance. Iris shared none of that ease and familiarity with him, and Clarus was at a loss as to how to create it.

"It's around midday," Cor said, and then he gestured for the girl and she followed. "Noctis takes his lunch in the gardens, usually, and plays with his friends."

"Ignis and Gladio," Iris said, slightly rote, but Clarus could tell Iris had already been taught at least a modicum of the details of the social minefield she was walking into. "How is Gladio?" she asked Clarus.

"Upset," he answered, honestly. "He won't speak to me, and... I would say to prepare yourself for the fact he may dislike you."

Iris didn't say anything, just nodded and continued to walk. The three of them made their way to the gardens, and Clarus noted that Noct was playing with the other boys, as expected.

A few moments passed, and Clarus watched as Iris paused. She began to head towards where Noctis was sitting with Ignis, the two of them pouring over some sort of book. Slightly off to the side, Gladio was reading his own book.

"Your Highness," Clarus said, coming up behind Iris where she stood at a respectful distance from the boys.

Noctis looked up and his blue eyes went wide at the sight of Iris. "Hi."

"Hello, Your Highness," Iris answered, after a moment of hesitation, she stepped forward and got down on one knee, both kneeling and bringing herself to about Noctis's seated height.

"You... you're my Shield," the Prince said, and then he reached out to touch her, his tiny fingers coming to rest where Clarus knew she already carried scars.

"You can tell?" she asked.

"Highness, it's rude to touch someone without asking," Ignis said, sounding every one of his prim and proper eight years.

"I can tell," Noctis said, completely ignoring Ignis.

"My name is Iris," she said, voice so soft and kind that Clarus almost thought it came from another person than the daughter he'd just met. "Iris Amicitia."

Gladio's response was to get up and storm off, and Clarus winced at the reaction. He knew it was coming. For all Gladio had only just started to train as a Shield, he considered the duty _his_ , and now Iris had come to take it from him. He'd known it was coming, but Clarus had hoped to give Gladio more warning than a few seconds.

His daughter reached out and took Noct's hand from where it touched her face, holding his hand gently in her own. "Will you let me protect you, Highness?"

"Yeah," he said. "Noct. You have to call me Noct."

"Of course, Noct."

The boy reached out, arms wrapping around his daughter's neck and clinging to her in a fierce hug. Iris stumbled just a bit, but she reached out and hugged the boy back. "Sit?" he asked, not really an order, but Iris fumbled just a bit and sat down next to him.

Clarus remembered, just for a moment, what it had been like when he first met Regis. His King had been about Noct's age, Clarus five years older, and even though he tried to be aloof, the little Prince had been an easy part of his heart ever since. It was clear some of that same magic was at work now, or perhaps it was just how easy it was to care for Noctis, he was a damn cute kid.

"Why don't you get settled in?" Clarus suggested, Iris looked up at him and nodded. "Relax... I'll be back later with the King and I'll test your blade a bit."

"Of course." She then turned back to the Prince. "I suppose I shall have to protect you now, Noct."

"Protect us with chocoback rides!" the Prince said, and then nothing would do but for Noctis to be carted around on Iris's back.

Cor shook his head and stepped away from the crowd of them, coming to stand by Clarus. "Go easy on her. She knows what needs to be done."

"I can't afford to be easy on her, Cor. She's _eighteen_ , she has ten years of training she missed to make up for." Clarus couldn't get that part of out of his head. "I know Louri must have had the best of intentions but--"

"Clarus," Cor said his name with a firm finality that made him pause. "Trust me when I say she's not _behind_. She might not be exactly where you hoped Gladio would be at that age, but she's trained for years, and she's fought for years. She likely has more practical experience than any Crownsguard her age."

"Other than you," Clarus said.

"I'm hardly her age," Cor protested, but he did nod. "I had more experience at her age, yes, but she's been fighting with the Galahdian resistance since she was about thirteen... when Velouria died."

Clarus couldn't help but admire that fortitude, even as he did worry that Iris wouldn't quite be where he needed her to--

Cor punched him in the shoulder. "Give her a chance to impress you."

"Right."

He would try, Six knew he would try, for the future of all of Eos he would have to.

*

Apparently as far as Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prince of Insomnia was concerned, 'Shield of the Prince' meant a climbing structure. At least that was what Iris had gathered after a half hour or so of play. Noct took great delight in the fact that she could lift him in one hand and Ignis in the other. Noct had both his hands clinging to her fist, and Ignis mirrored the Prince's actions on her other side, and with a mighty roar she hefted them both up, listening to them squeal in delight as she did.

She heard a gentle clap and she spun, noticing a dark haired man with a full beard, perhaps the same age as Clarus or a little younger or older. "I see Cor was successful in his journey."

"Dad!" Noct let go of her fist and landed on the ground with a slight 'oof' before he scrambled toward the man. Iris more gently deposited Ignis on the ground.

"Your... Majesty?" She didn't know for certain, she was hardly raised on courtesies, but she was fairly certain that was correct.

He nodded. "I don't stand on formality among those closest to my son, Regis is fine."

Iris didn't think she could go that far, even if she disliked the man a bit he was still a _King_. "I'm Iris, Your Ma... Re... Sire."

"We'll work on it," he answered with a faint smile. "If you would accompany me, I would be honored."

He held out his elbow, and Iris couldn't help but be confused. Still, she took a few steps toward him and then put out her hand, he took her hand gently and placed it where Iris assumed she was supposed to put her hand, and the two of them walked away.

"I imagine this isn't much like your home," he said.

She shook her head. "Galahd is dry and hot. I'm not used to the wet and green."

"You'll have to travel to Leide sometime, it's no doubt more to your liking."

"I think it just reminds me that this will need to become my home." She didn't like the idea that Insomnia was going to become her home. It was beautiful, and impressive, but it wasn't her home.

"Do not make so many changes all at once," the King said. "I think we're too inclined to forget where we came from. The Caelum line is originally from the lands that are now Galahd. That's why certain magics run more thickly in their blood than others."

Iris wondered if that was the King's way of trying to garner some level of familiarity, 'we are the same', but Iris couldn't feel it.

"I want to thank you. I know coming here was not an easy decision. For most Amicitias there was no choice, simply a father saying to a son: this is how it will be."

"I didn't really have a choice either," Iris answered.

"You know that's not true."

She looked away for a moment. "No _decent_ choice. Cor said your son needs me."

"He does."

Iris tried to let that enter her soul, somehow, tried to bring that reality to a place where she could feel and believe it. "Noctis seems like a fine boy."

"He's a young man, he has his moments of selfishness and anger and childishness, but he is a kind boy at heart... and I think he's more than a little enamored."

Iris felt herself flush a little, and then laugh. "He's seven. I... I wish I could swear to you that I'm prepared to defend him with my life, but the truth is... I'm not ready."

"I understand," the King answered, and he didn't sound at all mad or impatient with her. "Normally when someone enters the Crownsguard there's a whole assembly and a nice swearing in and all sorts of puffery, but I assume that's not your style."

She shook her head.

The King beside her shifted slightly, and then he reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "This will feel odd," he said. "You'll be loaned a small piece of power that the Kings of Lucis are able to grant their faithful: an armory, the power of glaives."

Iris felt it as a warm... ball inside of her chest, a small little hideaway in her heart alone, and it opened up under the King's touch. She brought her hand to her chest, feeling her heart race as she did.

"Beyond that... I'm sorry that we couldn't do more for Galahd," the King said, and Iris could hear that he really, truly meant it, emotion coming into his voice where before it had been calm. "Knowing that you can't hold a territory doesn't make losing it any easier. I know you've spent years bleeding for your home. I wish I could make that better, and I know you must feel abandoned, but I ask if you must be mad at someone, be mad at me, not at Noctis. He's a child, and innocent of that crime. You are free to hate me so long as you love my son."

"You give me power and then tell me to hate you?"

"I'm pragmatic, Iris. I am a father who must give everything to save his son."

Iris wondered if she was even supposed to know what Cor told her, that Noctis was Chosen and would need to die for the people. Sure the King would know... "Because... of his destiny?"

The King looked over to her, surprised. "Cor told you."

Her answer was a nod, and then to look out at one of the trees in the garden. After a moment, she reached out and touched it, finding the bark scratchy. "I don't know if I hate you, Regis. A part of me hates my father, a part of me hates Insomnia and Lucis... but I won't hate your son. I promise."

"Then I couldn't be happier to have my son's Shield at his side," he answered. He smiled, and then patted her hand for a moment. "I enjoy that you're able to use my given name when you tell me where to shove it."

Iris chuckled. "Not very diplomatic."

"Like all things, it comes in time." He turned slightly, guiding Iris, and she took the steps he urged her to, and she fell in beside him. "Clarus has promised a chance to see you fight. I look forward to it... oh." He paused, and then stepped back, gently letting down Iris's arm. "Take one of your weapons in hand."

She reached back and drew her cutlass, holding it gently in her hands.

"There is a place inside you where your glaives may reside." He gave her a few more minutes of instruction, and Iris found herself drawing the sword _into_ her. It was a little terrifying, although she had seen Cor draw and put away his own sword in Galahd.

"Thank you."

After a brief stroll through the gardens, Regis finally brought her back to where the boys were gathered, and Iris found herself again subjected to the pleasures of being climbed on.

"Cor! You look ten years younger," Regis said, and Iris glanced up only to see that the King wasn't wrong at all. Gone were the light pants and wrappings around his body and head, replaced with trim slacks and a t-shirt. He'd shaved as well, the full beard gone and replaced with just a trim goatee that left much of his face open.

Iris could actually see him _smile_ , and Iris found herself smiling in return. He looked... just like Regis said, much younger and surprisingly more boyish.

"What?" he asked, when he noticed her staring.

"You look so different," she said, and then she felt her cheeks heat for a brief moment and turned back to where Ignis was waiting to be flown.

"Don't tell him he looks young, he'll bring back that mustache," Regis said, a joke in his tone.

Iris chuckled.

The lot of them relaxed for a while, and Iris slowly became aware of the fact they were being watched, and it took a few moments but she realized it was Gladio, somewhat spying on them. Assured there was no danger, Iris continued to relax into the position next to her Prince.

Clarus returned a good bit later, and then the lot of them headed to a training room and Clarus rounded up Gladio as well.

"Is that wise?" Cor asked Clarus, voice low.

"He will have to come to terms sooner or later," Clarus answered, and Iris didn't know how she felt that her father would push her brother that much. It was her father's indiscretion...

Iris made a note to speak to her brother... half-brother, and try to make a peace with him. The boy was Noct's friend, and that was a position that Iris knew that she would never take. She was almost ten years older than all of the boys. If she was lucky they'd see her as a big sister rather than a mother.

Still, she could do nothing about it now, and she made her way to the training room. It was beautifully decorated, just so plain. That wasn't fair, there were paintings and statues everywhere, but they weren't Galahdian, they must have been a more Lucian style that she didn't yet have the appreciation for.

"What's your preferred weapon?" Clarus asked.

"Depends on the fight," Iris answered, but she followed her father over to where a variety of wooden practice weapons rested, and Clarus grabbed a larger sword. Iris nodded and selected a smaller sword. It was a touch heavier than the wood itself would suggest, and Iris suspected the weapons were weighted. "Knife, spear, sword, and hand to hand... roughly."

She backed away, took a deep breath, looked her father in the eyes, and prepared to prove to him that she was his blood and heir.

*

Cor settled in to the side of the training room, Regis sat beside him, Noctis on his lap. Ignis was seated primly next to the King, and Gladio... Gladio was sulking against a pillar. He had a hard time imagining that anything good would come from the boy's presence. Either Iris would fare relatively poorly and Gladio would see it as proof of his sister's incompetence or she would fare well and make the boy feel even worse for his insufficiency.

"How tough is Clarus?" Noct asked.

"He is one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom," Regis answered for Cor.

Cor couldn't shake a small bit of nerves at the prospect of the fight. He wanted her to impress Clarus. Some of it was ego, he'd been surprised when Iris had fought him and how well she'd matched him. A bit was just the unanticipated strength behind her tiny frame, but the rest... well the rest was just raw energy and skill.

The two Amicitias touched blades and then began to trade a few lazy blows, the two of them exploring each other's styles and strengths, far less violent than Cor's initial bout with her. He knew Iris had a deep fire within her, aggressive and acrobatic, but he saw little of it here... so little that he worried for a moment before Clarus came at her in earnest and Iris lashed back. A true fight began from there, the two of them answering with more fire, more brutal swings, and more aggression.

In combat, there was only so long before one party gave out, swift, efficient strikes that allowed a combatant to move on to the next target were preferred. Amicitias were about a tradition of strength of arm and will, and about the raw energy to outlast anyone who opposed them. Iris lasted almost thirty five minutes before Clarus got the better of her, getting her hard in the chest and pulling his swing only just enough to bruise rather than break. She had her sword up, she'd blocked the blow, but not firmly enough to stop the swing.

"Damn it," she hissed, and Cor couldn't tell if it was at the loss or the bruise.

Still Clarus came up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Good job. Tomorrow you'll be better."

"Me, probably; the bruise, not likely."

He snorted, and held out a hand that accepted the practice sword from her and he took them both over to the stand. "Well, if I had any doubts you were my daughter, that put them to rest."

"I don't get it," she said, taking a few steps over to the bench where the rest of them were sitting and easing herself down. "I'm not a better fighter than a lot of the guys..."

Cor had to stifle a laugh.

"You'd put most of my men on their asses," Clarus said, returning back to where she was sitting. "Your form needs work, you fight with your instincts a bit too much, but as far as raw skill... that comes with experience; the difference isn't just that you beat your opponents, you outlast them."

Iris took a deep breath, and then winced, clearly thinking better of it, and began to breath in and out more shallowly. "Got it, I think."

"Do you need a potion?" Noct asked. "Dad taught me how to make them."

"That would be nice," she said, and she leaned back, drawing another slow breath. "Will we have more training today?"

"Take the day to get settled in," Clarus said, and Cor didn't know exactly whether or not he wanted to smack his Captain or not, but he couldn't disagree with the idea that Iris needed some time to get her feet under her.

Clarus then handed her a small packet, that she took and opened, pulling out what looked to be a Crownsguard corporate card. Iris turned it over, and then over again, frowning at it. "Is this some sort of access card?"

"It's..." Clarus looked confused.

"It's gil," Cor explained. "You put it in a machine and it gives a vendor gil. They're called dollars in Insomnia, but it's the same idea."

"Oh." Iris nodded, clearly understanding that concept, slightly. "How many dollars does it have?"

"If you need it, buy it," Clarus said, and then he nodded. "You have an appointment with the quartermaster in a half hour. He'll set you up with fatigues... go shopping, pick up some casual clothes. Did you leave your things anywhere? I'll have them taken to the Manor."

Iris looked down at her hands, and then spread them. Cor knew she had a tiny bag of things that she carried with her back in Galahd, but it was hardly an extensive collection. Cor didn't even know what was in it - he hadn't asked and hadn't looked - but he knew it didn't weigh much and couldn't have carried much.

"There's a duffel in my office, Sir," Cor answered. "On my desk. Iris, I'll take you to the quartermaster and show you some of the shops near the Citadel that are best for clothing shopping."

She gave him a bright smile, the first he'd seen out of her since she'd arrived in Insomnia, and that soothed his heart just a bit to know she wasn't entirely a joyless shell, just desert child in the midst of a city larger than her entire country. "Thanks."

Noct returned a few minutes later with a potion and helpfully showed Iris how to pop it to help soothe the ache in her ribs. She thanked him, ruffled his hair, and then promised she would see him later, but she had things she needed to do. Iris also wished Ignis a farewell, and then headed over to where Gladio was still sulking, now hidden entirely behind a pillar.

He set her with a mulish expression, jaw cocked oddly, eyes wet and angry. Cor had no idea what to do about that, so he waited, and watched.

"You're still Noct's friend," she said, voice very soft. "I can't replace that. If you don't want to look at me, that's fine, but don't you dare abandon your friend. A solemn duty doesn't need to be Six-granted to be sacred."

The boy didn't look any happier, but he did nod, and then he skulked around the column, away from her and back toward Noctis, joining the Prince and Ignis while she headed off to the quartermaster. Cor knew there was still a great deal of work to do in the Amicitia household, but at least Noct wouldn't suffer too much.

Cor... Cor on the other hand...

At the quartermaster he found himself subjected to Iris. He'd seen her for months, always covered from neck to toe, often with a hood as well for the sun, dust, and sand, but now she found herself clad in one of the tight fitting tank tops of a regulation Crownsguard uniform that left well-built arms and shoulders on display and slim-cut black jeans that hugged neatly toned legs and a nice butt.

It shouldn't have been a surprise that she had a beautiful body, but Cor really hadn't considered it and now he found himself powerless not to. She was also far too young for him, and his boss's daughter.

She finally tugged on a jacket, covering her shoulders, but the damage was done. Perhaps the Six would be merciful and she'd decide she liked the jacket aesthetic.

"Is this Insomnian fashion?" she asked, even as she tugged on a pair of black boots.

"Black is the color of the royal family," Cor answered, "Most uniforms have predominantly black coloring. It's considered improper to wear too much if you don't support the Crown in some manner."

Iris held her hands up and spun, accidentally showing off again. "I don't know about the boots," she admitted. "Too plain."

"That's why we're going clothing shopping," Cor said and the two of them headed out into the afternoon.

The Six were not merciful. Iris liked short skirts, she liked sleeveless shirts, and she liked low-cut tops.

"I'm surprised you like..." He waved a hand to express a general encompassing of the lack of... covering.

"In Galahd it's hot and dry," she said. "Here it's hot and wet. I could spend all day covered head to toe and feel fine there, here I feel like I want to peel off my skin."

"Fair." Cor knew the dry Galahdian heat all too well. He couldn't even argue that she was wrong, just accepted the mild torture.

"I don't really understand... anything," she sighed. "Are these appropriate?"

"Those are fine. You'll be in uniform on duty," Cor answered. "Jacket on in most situations, off for training, cap off indoors if you wear one. Casual clothes are more for days off our out, some Crownsguard like to wear uniforms for workout, others don't. Formal occasions will be dress uniforms or... dresses depending on if you're attending as a Shield or as Lady Iris." He was probably the last person to ask, but Cor's understanding of proprietary had been distilled over years.

"I'm a lady?"

"Yes," Cor said. "You're... I think Clarus would be better to ask. It's too complicated for a plebe to explain."

Iris laughed. "I like the plebeian explanation, makes more sense than the fancy one. I think I wouldn't mind dressing up, but... I don't know."

"Hopefully Clarus will ease you in." Cor hated to think what Iris would be going through juggling training and suitors and council time.

"Do they make a book?"

"They make several," Cor answered. "I'd say to rely Jasmine but..."

"Yeah..."

"Don't worry about catching up, just... let me see if I can remember the basics." Cor hadn't flirted with a high-born lady in a long time, but Clarus had included that in his 'The Talk' when Cor had hit seventeen and women started fluttering at him. "Don't accept gifts from unrelated men unless it's Noct or Regis... Gods. That should do for the most basic, Clarus isn't particularly old-fashioned but you probably shouldn't... um... you know you should just have this conversation with Clarus."

Iris was looking at him now, and smirking, and Cor felt his cheeks heat.

Still, Iris seemed less than pleased, and Cor didn't exactly know how to make that any better. Certainly she could ignore most of the various issue surrounding her station and focus solely on her role as Shield, but there was no way that a young woman was going to enter into Insomnian society and not attract attention and make waves.

"I think I'll just spend time with the guys and ignore that," Iris said with a slight nod. "I... I don't know, it just seems like everything is so complicated now. I miss the simplicity."

He helped her pick out a few more pieces of clothing and showed her around the area around the Citadel, but Cor understood where she was coming from. He remembered when he started to get promoted within the Crownsguard and was expected to be part of 'the officer's club' more and more, and that was nothing on going from a freedom fighter to an Insomnian lady.

Cor didn't know why he was surprised when Iris called him at about ten that night and asked him to please come to the Amicitia Manor and take her back to the Citadel. She packed up her three bags of clothes and her tiny little duffel and Cor showed her to one of the plain and empty apartments for the Crownsguard within, and Iris looked like she was prepared to cry in thanks.

"I won't lie and say it will be soon," Cor said, voice soft and understanding, "but it will get better."

She nodded her thanks, and Cor tried not to think about how much the Manor must have troubled her for her to flee so immediately and completely, but he hoped the trouble with be soothed with time.


	3. Chapter 3

It took Iris almost two weeks to begin to understand how much Clarus's actions nineteen years ago had made a terrible mess of his family's life today. It all came down to that damn divine duty, it seemed. Galahdian society had no great love of bastards, so Iris was well-acquainted with the general rules as they would have been in Galahdian society. If her father had been someone from her own part of the world, the nicest thing he would have been able to do would be to take her into his family and provide her with a small parcel of property that would make her a reasonably attractive marriage prospect.

Giving a bastard child a father's last name was almost unheard of, but everyone who she had spoken to, largely Cor, Regis, and Clarus himself, had taken it as a given that she was now 'Amicitia'. She didn't take her father's name with pride, but it was her name, and she would hardly run from it. Iris could have run from her duty before coming to Insomnia, and she had chosen not to.

But where Iris had at best expected that Clarus would provide her with an attractive dowry, he instead... well. "What?!"

"I would like you to sit in on the Council Meeting with me today," he repeated, standing in her quarters in his full Council robe and looking rather impressive. "It would be best if you begun to understand some of the interpersonal relationships that make up the ruling and advisory council of Lucis."

"Surely that's a task better suited to Gladio."

"Iris..." Clarus swept his cloak that he wore to the side, and sat carefully on the chair that Cor had helped her find. "You are my eldest daughter."

"I'm a bastard," she answered, her tone implying that she thought Clarus was very slow when it came to that part of the problem.

"In most families, you're right, that would be the end of it, but for Amicitias, the Shield _is_ the main line, any other children are the cadet branches. Your birth station doesn't matter, only that you're my firstborn."

"Wait... but... if Regis had had a kid... would he be the Prince?!"

Clarus nodded. "That is the reason it's best not to... indulge before marriage. For some lines it's a simple matter of propriety, for myself or Regis it's another matter entirely."

"Wow..." She fell silent for several moments. "You fucked up bad."

His reaction was to close his eyes and sigh, and then nod, obviously agreeing with her assessment. "I did, but the 'fuck up', as you so eloquently put it, has already been done. You are my firstborn, you are Noctis's Shield, and you will eventually succeed me on the Ruling Council of Lucis and as Lady Amicitia."

That certainly put everything into a very harsh prospective. It wasn't just a matter that Iris had taken some duty that she wasn't even sure was a great deal... no, she'd disinherited Gladio, or at least bumped him pretty far down the line. He'd gone from the promise of being a Lord to being 'hopefully I can find a good marriage and Dad'll hook me up with some cows on the way out the door'. Lady Amicitia, Jasmine, was no doubt... wow. Iris was surprised she'd been as kind as she had been, and had even provided her with some etiquette books the day she'd moved in.

"Um..." Well she could hardly think of a good reason to deny her father's request that she go to the Council Meeting. It would be a necessity... "I don't have anything to wear. Is the Crownsguard uniform alright?"

Clarus nodded. "I realize this is an incredible amount to take in at once."

"I've just got eighteen years of catching up to do," she answered, understanding even though she couldn't help but feel annoyed at the ridiculousness that was her life. "So... am I considered... um..."

He looked over at her and arched an eyebrow.

"Marriageable." That was a hell of a thing to think about, actually... she'd flirted with a few of the guys, freedom fighters, she slept with guys sometimes, it didn't matter, really, since she was a bastard she was never going to have someone steady...

"Yes." Clarus took a deep breath. "It's not something you need to worry about right now, aristocratic marriages aren't expected until the mid twenties, maybe later. You're welcome to date but I encourage you to... learn from my... indiscretions."

That was the end of their father-daughter bonding, it seemed... Iris had gained a new appreciation for how badly Clarus had screwed over his _real_ family. She dressed in her Crownsguard fatigues, buttoned her jacket, put on her dressier boots, and headed to the Council Meeting. She wondered if there was a gift that properly conveyed 'sorry I stole your whole life'...

Iris found herself escorted to the Council Chamber, a dark wood-paneled room with a beautiful table and several chairs. The oddest addition, at least as far as she was concerned, was Ignis. He was apparently not a frequent guest at the meetings, but he did sit in on occasion and he took notes - or what Iris imagined were supposed to be notes.

Most of the meeting made no sense to her, it was easier to pay attention when they were discussing security of the outlying regions, even as it hurt to hear her home mentioned rarely, or just in the same breath with 'uselessness' or a lost cause. Many of the Lords and the Ladies looked at her from time to time, gauging her as though she was some sort of caged animal that was prepared to strike at any mention of Galahd or the Empire. She hated the Empire, she didn't like Insomnians much either, but she was not a child, she was in control of her own emotions enough to stand quietly behind her father's chair.

"The Kingsglaive should be prepared to truly be formed within the coming months."

Iris's ears perked up. They discussed the dozen or so men and women who had come to enlist early along, Nyx and Libertus both were mentioned by name, as was a guy named Titus Drautos from the northern islands.

She listened as it was agreed upon for the topic of the Captain of the unit to be considered in the coming months. She would have liked to have it be Nyx, he was a fine leader, but she understood he probably had less experience than they would have liked.

"At that time, His Majesty wishes to have some formal state celebration for the founding."

Afterwards, she found herself in Clarus's office, him probing her on what she'd gleaned from the meeting, and Iris not really knowing what was expected but recounting what she could as best she could. Clarus seemed if not pleased, at least happy enough.

"You'll be learning quite a few things on the field, if you will," Clarus said, finally going behind a screen and changing into slightly more casual clothes that signaled they would be practicing shortly.

Their next two hours involved weapons practice, and then Iris was finally dismissed to find some food, which she did in the Crownsguard mess.

"Think you missed the Kingsglaive recruitment posters," a man she didn't recognize said as she went to the line.

"Excuse me?" She turned, noting the man was a good bit taller than her, and more muscled.

"You're here for the Kingsglaive, right?"

At first, Iris thought he was just being kind, thinking that because she was Galahdian she would be in the Kingsglaive. She didn't see anything wrong with that, Nyx and Libertus were in it, or would be when it was officially formed, but when she continued to look she finally caught the sneer at his lips.

"No," she said, voice hard. "I am in the right place: Crownsguard."

"Looks like the Crownsguard's going to shit, then," he answered, and he reached out towards her, but Iris grabbed his wrist and twisted it backward, causing him to back away.

"Yeah, looks like it is," she said, pushing him further and returning to the line.

"Shame about your face, you might have been cute."

She glanced over her shoulder at him. Iris hated that that got to her, but it did. He probably knew, or it wasn't a hard guess. She did her best to not let it show, instead returning to the line and picking from the terrible, bland, mushy crap that passed for Insomnian cuisine.

Although it had been a few weeks, Iris hadn't much made a point of being in the mess at the general lunch hour, and it was rare enough that she sat around and ate there. Leaving seemed too much like letting that chocobutt win, however, so she glanced around looking for somewhere, anywhere, to sit.

A quick wave from another woman, pale, with darker hair, greeted her, and Iris headed over, hoping against hope she could have a nice person and not an ass. "Well, seems like Masters has good taste again," she said, and Iris almost got back up just then. "Anyone he doesn't like, I figure they're good people. Monica Elshett."

Iris grinned. "Iris. Um... Iris Amicitia."

Monica snorted. "Wow, he sure picked a bad fight this time. I heard there was... a whole thing with the Captain."

"I'm the thing, yeah."

She and Monica had a quick lunch together, and Iris expanded her list of decent people in Insomnia to have one more person. It was a small group, but... well it might be alright. She worked in Intelligence, which meant Iris wouldn't work with her pretty much ever, but it was nice to know not everyone was a total ass. They traded phone numbers, at least, and Monica promised to take her for some proper shopping in the next weeks.

With more time to relax, she headed over to the northern Citadel gate where the Kingsglaive was largely being set up. It was a smaller annex building, with an open courtyard for training, and Nyx and Libertus were there, along with a few other people Iris didn't recognize.

"Hey!" Libertus called, which just meant that Nyx reached out and shoved the side of his head, causing him to stagger.

"New recruit?" Iris glanced over to the voice, surprisingly soft for a man, but the speaker was a tall, broad man who looked like he'd seen combat, and lots of it. He had a few obvious scars on his face, and had a no nonsense air that Iris could appreciate.

"No, afraid not," Iris answered, getting up to her feet and smiling. "Just figured I'd spend some time with... my guys."

"Something wrong?" Nyx asked, stupidly perceptive sometimes.

Iris shook her head, but she knew that Nyx would know something was wrong so she just waited for him to come over and they sat, and then he gave her a nudge with his shoulder. "Just some of the Crownsguard being asses: 'think you want the Kingsglaive', that sort of thing. Nothing important."

"They don't get us," Nyx said. "Screw 'em."

She nodded, and then tilted her head towards Nyx to rest a head on his shoulder. "How's training?" she asked, straightening and looking at the open space that made the training yard. They hadn't talked much in the last weeks, all three of them settling in to the weird space that was Insomnia, but she was glad to be able to spend time with them again.

"First week or so was just learning how not to barf," Nyx answered with a chuckle. "The King came by, talked to us a bit, and had us practice a bit with some of the more low-key magic he can do and then sort of... wham, something unlocks."

Iris nodded. She'd felt something similar with the armory that Regis had granted her, but it sounded like the full host of magic was something else.

"Remember," the scarred man said. "That's a loan from the King, your strength is tied to his."

"Of course," Nyx answered, but Iris saw him frown. "Iris, this is Drautos, he's one of the recruits."

Iris nodded up at him. She remembered him from the meeting, he was a relative unknown commodity, but he showed great promise. He was a little older than Nyx, probably closer to Cor's age at around thirty or thirty five, but it was easy to see why he was a favorite to take over as commander. An older and wiser commander was a good thing.

"Pleasure," she said, holding a hand out. "Iris Amicitia."

The man's brow arched. "Our Prince's Shield. Certainly the Kingsglaive would love to have you. Titus Drautos."

Iris shrugged with a little smile. "I'd probably be more comfortable here..." She glanced over to where Nyx was tilting his head with a skeptical look on his face. "I'd definitely be, but I've got all that crap to take care of. Don't be a stranger just because I'm Crownsguard. I'm not sure what I'd do without you guys. Come on, show me what you can do!"

She yanked on Nyx's arm and then followed him and Libertus as they went to what looked to be a shooting range. Drautos urged her towards the side, so that she could observe the entire length of the room, and he stood, arms crossed. "The Crownsguard is treating you well?" he asked.

Iris didn't really know how to answer. "Clarus is." Monica she'd just met, Cor was probably the closest she had to a friend in the Crownsguard, but based on what she'd started to understand he was her superior officer, so... not really someone she should look to for friendship. She already knew some of the recruits who knew who she was were shouting favoritism.

They were sort of right.

"Well, I'm certain there will always be a place for you among the Glaives," Drautos continued, and Iris wondered if he was just trying to poach her or it was a genuine offer.

She nodded, just to acknowledge it.

"Ostium said you were reluctant to come?"

Iris didn't know if she liked Libertus blabbering about her motives and her feelings, but he always was a bit of a talker. She had only herself to blame if she told the man something she wanted kept secret. There was a reason she confided in Nyx more readily, the man put the brooding in the grumpy and silent archetype. He always seemed to know exactly what not to say.

"Well... it's hard to want to give up your whole life after how Lucis left Galahd." Neither Lucis nor Niflheim did much to keep them safe.

"As long as we fight for hearth and home."

She glanced up when Libertus shouted for her to watch. Iris waved to the two of them, and then watched as Nyx went first, flinging his kukri so it impacted the far wall, and then an instant later he was there, hand clinging to the dagger.

"Whoa..." She couldn't help herself, she raised her hands and gave a little clap.

Libertus did the same, of course he seemed to struggle down against the urge to lose his lunch afterwards.

"Is it as disorienting as it looks?"

Nyx nodded.

"Damn." She'd considered trying to find out if she could gain those powers, same as the Kingsglaive, due to her mother's blood but... "Have a lot of people tried out?"

"Yeah, only a handful can do even that. According to the King that's small time, eventually we should be able to wield elemancy, and more." He sat down beside her again, and then Libertus flanked her, the two of them gave her a warm hug and she slung her arms over their shoulders.

"Still pretty amazing, maybe you can steal me away from the Prince," she joked.

"As I said, you're always welcome," Drautos said, face slightly bemused.

Iris nodded, glad to know that she had somewhere that appreciated her. It was nice to just be able to spend time with people who seemed willing to just... treat her as she was. Nyx and Libertus were a given, of course, but Drautos seemed kind enough and focused. He could be a good pick to head up the Glaives.

It felt a bit like giving up, but that didn't mean Iris didn't happily snag a dinner from the mess and then go to hide out in her room. She found it oddly relaxing to have a space now. When she'd lived in Galahd, her 'home' didn't exist. She lived with her mother in various boarding houses filled with other women in similar circumstances. Iris had always fought, always... kept herself strong, but it was odd to just have a room, a kitchen, a little desk.

She had a place, even if it was uncomfortable. After a few moments to prod at the noodle thing that was her dinner, she pulled out one of the books that Jasmine had given her: an etiquette book. Yet another thing she would have to learn, at least Clarus seemed focused on making certain she learned the combat arts first and foremost, but she knew she could avoid this part for only so long.

Fork in one hand, book laid out in front of her, she worked her way through... bowing.

A knock on the door finally roused her, and she took the quick journey to the door and opened it only to see Cor standing there. "Hey." She gestured him inside and she watched Cor glance around at the space she was slowly personalizing as her own. 

"You weren't at the mess, so..." Cor smiled slightly.

"Just got a lot on my mind today," she answered, and then she tilted her head over to her desk where Cor noted the manners book. "Have a new found appreciation for... Gladio's anger, and Jasmine's."

"I heard you attended Council today," Cor said, obviously understanding at least part of it. He picked up the book and brought it over. "Don't like the pasta?"

"It's terrible."

"It was one of my favorites growing up."

Iris, of course, behaved in a manner that befit her station, opened her mouth, and made a barfing motion.

Cor chuckled. "I'm a boy of simple tastes. I imagine you'd be more interested in... what? Curried gigantoad?"

"That sounds so good..." Iris tilted her head back, looking up at the ceiling for a moment before she straightened. "Everything here is so _bland_ , how do you stand it?"

"I've been known to cook the occasional curry, but I think you'll find it's a sad imitation of what you're used to. That and I'm pretty sure the butcher would faint if I asked for gigantoad. It's not a popular flavor."

"It is kinda... pungent?" Iris shrugged. "Supposedly there's some Galahdian places around in the less good parts of town. I might have to check it out."

After a bit more small talk, Iris sat on the couch and Cor joined her.

"I had no idea that... I _disinherited_ Gladio," she said, voice barely a whisper.

Cor sighed, closed his eyes, and then nodded. "Clarus was beside himself when he realized Gladio wasn't Noct's Shield," Cor answered. "It became more obvious as he started training and then..."

"If I'd never been born--"

Cor wasn't exactly the sort to comfort, but she could see in his eyes that he wished he could make that better. "It's done, you can't go backward, only forward. I'm sure Gladio would have made a fine Shield, but he's not Noct's Shield. You can't change that and neither can Clarus."

"Well, I sure put a dent in his _real_ family."

Iris watched a complicated look cross Cor's face, hurt and upset perhaps at her or on her behalf, and something else, before he took a deep breath and turned towards her. "You're Clarus's blood. He's not had years to become your father, but Clarus is a good father to Gladio, and in time I know he'll be a good father to you."

She nodded. "I know I... how long has he even known about me?"

"Gladio's training began in earnest I suppose... four, five months ago. It became obvious that there was something wrong soon after. Many of the local options were ruled out quickly, and Clarus sent me to look for you. I think you were there when I reported I had a rumor, and I never sent him confirmation. He didn't even know you were a girl until the day I brought you to his office." Cor smiled, and then shook his head. "Even without all the other crap, you were one hell of a surprise. You... you were already born when Galahd fell. Velouria fought alongside us, with Clarus, and she never told him."

Iris had suspected that to some extent. She knew Clarus had been in Galahd after she'd been born, but she also knew Galahd was a big place. Cor pretty much confirmed what she'd been considering: her mother had hidden her existence from Clarus. She couldn't exactly begrudge him his absence.

No one was solely responsible for the mess they were all in now... except maybe her dad's dick.

She snorted.

Cor tilted his head, as if to ask 'what's so funny' and it just made her smile more.

"Just... all this because one guy can't keep it in his pants."

Cor answered with his own chuckle. "I think my exact words when he explained the problem were: 'well, you were sort of a slut before you married Jasmine'."

Iris felt a giggle bubble up in her chest. "What'd he say to that?"

"'Please, Cor, don't pull your punches'."

She smiled at that, feeling a tiny bit of the weight in her heart lighten. She needed to do _something_ , she needed to soothe the damage to the Amicitia house so that it didn't tear all of them apart, but she didn't even begin to know how to start that.

"I want curry."

"Let's get you some damn curry."

"And I'm not letting you out of letting me try your cooking sometime."

"I didn't invite you," Cor answered, which was technically true, but they both knew where that train had been going.

"Tough."

Iris dumped the pasta in the trash on her way out the door. She could do this, she could. She just needed to figure out how to find ten more hours in every day first.

*

It took eight tries to find a curry place to eat that had anyone who spoke Galahdian. Cor listened as Iris discussed that the curry was very Northern, but it would do.

The two of them then discussed the differences in cooking styles around Galahd. Iris was remarkably well traveled, and seemed to know a great deal about most of the areas and their unique cultural aspects. Cor had to admit it was a side of Galahd he had never gotten to know, and it was fun to just relax with someone else, talk, have dinner... 

He hadn't even noticed the resemblance to a proper date until the two of them were scooted too close together and Iris was laughing at him for wimping out at the spicier dishes. She leaned in and bumped his shoulder with hers, and then never pulled back, leaving barely a few inches between them. 

"I'm _stuffed_ ," he said, leaning back.

"It was a good dinner," Iris agreed. "I'll have to ask where they're getting their spices, although I'm a poor cook."

The two of them headed back out, eventually arriving to deposit Iris at the Citadel and give her a farewell wave.

"Thanks," she said, smile bright. "I needed that."

"Any time." He was startled to realize exactly how much he meant it. Cor knew he shouldn't allow himself to get so close to Iris, she was a member of the Crownsguard - his subordinate - and she was Clarus's daughter and the Shield. She was promised to the Prince and the country and honestly he shouldn't have looked at her as a woman at all.

Cor rarely dated, it didn't fit with his life, but... he couldn't deny the way his heart fluttered just a fraction when she turned around and gave him a little wave from the gate.

The days that followed her just as busy as the ones that came before. Cor found himself filling in as a sort of trainer for the Kingsglaive recruits, unable to perform the same warps and magics that the King could, but he had seen more than his share of elemancy in his years, and he knew how warping could be used.

When the King was a bit younger and more spry, Cor could always give him a run for his money, and he found that the Kingsglaive kids were no exception. Warping and phasing and magic could enhance a warrior to the limits, but ultimately raw skill was finite.

Iris watched them from time to time, applauding when appropriate, and Nyx would sometimes flex for her or something similar and he would watch Iris throw something at him in response. He'd never considered them particularly flirty in Galahd, but their familiarity with each other had become more... soft once they had reached Insomnia.

"You're a hell of a warrior, Marshal," Drautos said after a particularly rigorous bout.

Drautos was _strong_ , that was the one thing Cor had noticed in sparring him. Drautos wasn't a slight man by any means, but his body contained a coiled power behind it that Cor found almost disconcerting. Even Clarus or Iris would have been hard-pressed to match him. He supposed that was fair, the Shield pushed themselves to human limits, but that still meant others might match that power with strength and training. 

"Thank you, Drautos," he answered, lightly dabbing his brow to remove the sweat and then he nodded. "You as well. Where did you train before the Kingsglaive?"

"Here and there," Drautos answered with a shrug. "Freedom fighting in Drosia Archipelago was thin on the ground, but you learn what you can."

Cor felt as though the style was a bit too unified for 'here and there', but he could hardly pinpoint it himself, so he didn't have much to say to that. "Well, the Kingsglaive is lucky to have you."

"I feel as though I should thank you before kicking off some sort of friendly rivalry," Drautos said. 

Cor chuckled in response. "Kingsglaive versus Crownsguard?" 

Cor didn't encourage that sort of thinking among the men. It already existed, of course, and Iris was starting to make it worse by her very presence. Cor hadn't missed the way that people spoke poorly of her behind her back, and to her face, but there was little he could actively do until punches were thrown, and his men seemed to know that.

"Competition makes men thrive."

Cor nodded. "Well, we'll be relying on the Glaives to see to the fighting outside of the city. The Crownsguard was devastated in the Galahdian war, and then the Drosia invasion and annexation..." The Crownsguard never truly recovered from Drosia. Between Galahd and Drosia the Crownsguard ranks had been cut to the quick. Even the dozens of men they recruited a year mere went to filling the gaps left in simple local policing of the Citadel and grounds.

"I had no idea it was so bad."

"The Crownsguard isn't even supposed to fight outside the Wall... theoretically, but we did the best we could years ago."

He hated it, he hated it more than he could put into words, but it was the life they lived any longer.

"If competition makes the men thrive, they're welcome to it, as long as we fight for the same King."

"For hearth and home," Drautos answered, not quite for their mutual King but Cor nodded at the words regardless.

Cor glanced over to where Nyx and Iris were in the midst of a fist fight, Nyx attempting to put phasing into practice while Iris kept him on his toes. It was fascinating to watch them, poorly balanced, Iris tiny by comparison, and yet she dominated the fight at anything but the unexpected phasing.

"Hell of a lady," Drautos said, tilting his head over to Iris.

Cor wondered if his face flushed, still thinking of his less than pristine thoughts about the woman. "She is. She will be good for the country, I think... it would be good for the Lords of Lucis to be reminded that the country extends out farther than their walls."

"Not a lot of city boys who remember that."

"I'll take that as a compliment." The King knew it, Clarus did, but Cor imagined the men didn't believe that.

With the training kicked into high gear, Cor found much of his time spent on the Kingsglaive training, and it was almost three months since his return from Galahd when the Kingsglaive finally had thirty five recruits and a uniform. That meant it was the universally accepted time for one hell of a party.

Cor polished his shoes, pressed his mess dress, dug up his beret, and brushed up on his footwork for his least favorite battlefield: politics.

*

Iris was still a poor imitation of a Lady, but Jasmine seemed intent on helping as best she could. Iris didn't really know how to help, after three months, Jasmine seemed to at least tolerate her as a substitute daughter, barely.

She sat, patently, as Jasmine tried to 'do something with her face'.

"Is the Shield not expected to have scars?" Iris asked, voice slightly annoyed as Jasmine all but plastered her face to 'fix' the scars there.

"In service to the Prince, yes," she answered. "You shouldn't look like a coeurl's chew toy barely into your majority."

"I got this saving my men from an assassination MT," she answered, voice hard. She knew Jasmine was coming from somewhere... thoughtful. It was just so damn annoying. Jasmine wanted her to look beautiful and ladylike. Iris had to admit she looked killer in the slinky black dress that showed off her body and had just enough shine to catch the light when when she moved.

After the makeup session, she looked at herself in the mirror and sighed when she realized Jasmine had done her best to lighten her skin a shade or so. She still looked tan, but... Iris put her foot down on that by threatening to scrub her face clean of the scar plaster and Jasmine matched her darker tone, but she eventually accepted the strappy shoes and some gloves and a really sparkly necklace.

Clarus had his full lordly robe _thing_ going on, and Gladio had been done up in a small tuxedo that made him absolutely adorable. Their relationship was still... precarious, however, so Iris fought down the urge to pinch her younger brother's cheeks at how precious he looked.

A young officer responsible for driving them was wearing something Clarus helpfully called a 'mess dress', which was neither a dress, or messy. It seemed to Iris like a Crownsguard uniform cut like a tuxedo. Obviously it was the Crownsguard uniform for formal events, and it looked pretty nice. Amicitia Family assembled, they headed in silence to the grand Citadel roof gardens.

They were usually open to the public, and Iris had been there repeatedly with the Prince and his entourage, but it was dressed up for the evening, although Iris thought the gardens wore their dress up a bit better than she did. They were bright and warm, lit gorgeously and Iris found herself wanting to hide. She belonged on the field, not a fancy garden.

"There will be no proper receiving line," Jasmine explained softly as they awaited their turn to be announced. "Make certain you show your courtesy to the King and Prince, and don't invite just anyone to use your given name. It will make you seem inappropriately forward."

"Right." She took a deep breath and waited for her announcement to enter and then took the steps carefully before she found herself on solid, if wobbly-footed, ground.

Jasmine stood at her side as Iris found herself practically _besieged_ by men. Iris's knowledge of Insomnian nobility basically began and ended with the Lord's Council, she knew those ten, and then another five or so by Jasmine's general 'don't touch them with a ten foot pole' instruction.

When they had a few minutes to breath, Iris finally asked: "So what sort of guy am I expected to marry?"

"You have a great deal of latitude," Jasmine answered, but she frowned as she considered the question further. "In the most calculating sense, you'll be looking for someone to handle the day to day running of the house and provide a solid contribution to the strength of the Amicitia line. In a more general sense, someone intelligent and strong who you find sufficiently appealing to have a few children with."

Iris found herself wondering which part of that Jasmine had fit into whenever Clarus had married her, but she couldn't think of a single way to ask that question that didn't sound rude as all hell. "Clarus said I had a few years to decide?"

Jasmine nodded. "That's correct, and... I realize this is hard, but do try to call him 'father', or at least 'Lord Clarus', it's disrespectful in this setting."

"Right, um... well I'll take Lord Clarus's advice on that, but it can't hurt to look."

Finally, _mercifully_ Jasmine let her go and Iris was allowed to circulate. She mostly took that as leave to grab a glass of champagne, hide a bit, and take several deep breaths. The actual main event, the introduction of the Kingsglaive, finally ended up starting, and Iris made her way to one of the areas where she could at least see the stage that had been built up for the occasion.

King Regis was announced, and entered to polite applause with Noctis beside him. The young boy looked slightly grumpy, but had mostly managed a politic face, and Iris straightened, resolving not to be shown up by a little boy. Her father joined the King up on stage and spoke a bit about mutual cooperation and in general Iris had to admit that she was a bit proud of her father then. She knew he didn't love the Kingsglaive, that it wounded his pride, but he shoved that down in the name of practicality.

He then called for Cor, and Iris smiled a bit since she knew the man had been training Nyx and Libertus and the others with much of his time. Iris had sort of become used to Cor over the last months, he was stern but kind, and she was used to seeing him almost exclusively in Crownsguard fatigues, Crownsguard sweats, or... well she was pretty sure she'd once see him in black jeans and a Crownsguard t-shirt but that was about the end of it. Iris wasn't entirely certain he understood the concept of having... casual clothing.

A moment later, however, Iris was introduced to the very appealing concept of Cor in a mess uniform: neatly pressed white shirt, bow tie, and a vest that flattered broad shoulders. One of the lapels was almost drowning in medals and Iris couldn't help but think that Cor was... wow.

She shook her head just enough to clear it, and then applauded as the rest of the Kingsglaive finally came in in their own dress uniform. King Regis gave his own variation on Clarus's speech, and then Cor gave his own, and then finally the actual party part of the night happened.

Iris made her home along one of the balconies to start, just trying to get away from the din and the propriety of the night.

Unfortunately, her relatively hidden position meant she found herself subjected to more than a little bit of gossip she wished she hadn't. At least it meant she had a list of men who apparently thought being married to her would need to come with a solution for the sand fleas they'd come away with.

She hated people.

Eventually, she made her way to the small congregation of people around King Regis and she made her proper bow and hello, accepting the hug that the King offered. "Perfect form on the bow," he assured her, voice low just for her.

She then made her hello to Noctis who promptly reached up and demanded her hand. "The rule is I need a guard, but you're better than a guard."

Iris smiled at him gently, at not even four feet tall, he was in no position to properly escort Iris, but he held out his arm anyway and Iris set a gloved hand at his raised arm. "Lead on, Your Highness." Noct being let out into the wild of the party meant other people came out of the woodwork to greet him, and Iris was allowed to put names to faces of the various assholes whose gossip she'd heard.

"Your Highness." Iris glanced over to where Cor was giving Noct a bow, and then was surprised when Cor turned to her and also gave her a bow. "Lady Iris. I... almost didn't recognize you, you look beautiful tonight."

She didn't know what to make of that: unrecognizable and beautiful. She could only assume it was the number that Jasmine had done on her face, and that stung a bit. Cor had _never_ complimented her looks before. _'Shame about your face...'_.

Iris felt her lips straighten in a frown.

"I don't much care for these things either," Cor admitted a moment later. "Too much puffery and I feel like a parade chocobo dressed up like this."

"A handsome parade chocobo, though," Iris answered with a smile. Apparently even if it was just because of a pound of makeup, she did like the idea that Cor thought she looked beautiful.

Cor shook his head. "I'm sorry we haven't been able to train much of late."

"It's understandable, Nyx said you're working the Kingsglaive very hard."

"They need to be ready."

"Then I don't mind if it helps Nyx stay safe. He doesn't have the best instincts on that front, so I'm glad to have someone look after him."

Cor answered with a soft smile.

"And don't forget that invitation for curry, I'm holding you to it Cor... um... Captain? Marshal?"

"Marshal Leonis would be correct," he answered, and then he reached out to place a hand on Noct's head. "Unless you're this royal pain."

"A-hem!" Noct said, puffing up to all of his unimpressive height. "Unhand me!"

Iris snickered. "Marshal Leonis, I'm afraid I'll need to ask you to release my charge."

"My deepest and most profound apologies Your Highness, My Lady." He then finished with an amused bow, lips twitching almost uncontrollably to stop from smiling.

That was about when Regis swept up and 'borrowed his son' back to make a few rounds, and Iris found herself alone with Cor near a small row of flowers. Iris didn't quite know what to do, or what to say, she just glanced over to where Cor was giving her a slight smile. "Are things getting better with Jasmine and Gladio?"

She shrugged, just slightly, not at all ladylike, she supposed, but very her. "Jasmine is trying to treat me like her daughter. I guess a small part of me finds it a little disrespectful of Mom, but... I guess she's trying. She's the one who..." She gestured to her cheek where she felt the itch of makeup against her scars.

"Ah." Cor stood beside her, just a small gap between them and they both looked out over the gardens for a moment. "I almost didn't recognize you, like I said. It took me a little while to realize why, but..."

"She tried to lighten up my skin," Iris sighed.

Cor looked at her, opened his mouth, closed it, and then shook his head.

"I'm not even dark by Galahdian standards," she grumbled.

"Or Lucian," Cor answered. "It's just vanity, hell, Clarus and Regis both darkened up more than a bit when they were out in Galahd. Me, I fry like a lobster."

Iris felt herself giggle.

"Still... you... it's..." He stopped talking, and cleared his throat. "You look wonderful either way."

"... Thanks." She didn't know if she bought that, but it was nice to hear regardless. "I... Jasmine says I should be circuiting, so I'm going to do that."

"Have a good evening," Cor said, giving another quick bow and heading off.

'Circuiting' seemed to be far more complex than Iris had originally given it credit for, and she ended up talking with a few dozen men and women, trying to make some form of small talk that didn't boil down to 'do you have enough water to bathe?!' or something even more annoying. She finally arrived at where Nyx and Libertus were being subjected to some interviewing, and she stole them both away for a few minutes.

"I thought I was going to die," Libertus complained. "You'd think they wouldn't have so much to say."

"Hey, they want to interview the future heroes is all."

Some proper dancing time came after that, and there was even some music that legitimately passed for Galahdian in celebration, which just meant that Nyx grabbed her by the arm and the two of them ended up dancing, Iris stumbling through her moves just because of her heels and only too glad that Nyx was a passable dancer.

She danced with a few other guys afterwards, nothing quite as fun, but... it was nice enough.

Iris ran into Cor far later in the party, the older man's uniform still looked pristine, but the party had taken its toll just the same as it had on her.

"Save me?" she asked.

Cor held out an arm and Iris latched onto it gladly, accepting the signal and the fact that she would be immune from the attentions men for at least two dances. "Of course, Lady Iris."

She chuckled just a little at the ridiculousness of him calling her that, and then she took a deep breath. "Are you excited to be done with the preliminary Kingsglaive training?"

"It will be nice to go back to my actual duties," he answered. "At least it wasn't dealing with the various bureaucratic parts of the founding."

"Sounds awful... that's going to be my job someday, isn't it?"

"Mmmhmmm," Cor answered with a slight quirk of his lips.

"Save me?" she asked again.

"For that you're on your own."

The band swelled again, and Iris glanced over to where various partners were coming together on the floor again. She glanced over to Cor, who was looking down at her with a look that said he was watching her reaction.

"May I have this dance?"

"I'd be honored, Marshal Leonis," she answered with her own little smile. "I don't know this dance..."

"I don't either," he said. "We'll make something up as we go."

Cor was a filthy lair, but he was a good enough partner that he was able to guide her through the more obvious steps, and Iris melted into him and the way his hand rested on the small of her back, and his fingers ghosted lightly along her spine. By the end, she wanted to cling to him and never let go, but she accepted the escort to the side of the dance floor and pulled apart just to rest her hand on his arm.

Another dance passed in a slightly awkward silence, and then Iris finally pulled her hand away, reluctant, but knowing she had to. "It was a pleasure, Marshal."

He gave her a bow. "All mine, Lady Iris."

Nyx dropped by her Citadel apartment a few days later.

"Hey, we're moving out for a while, deploying I guess?"

"So soon?"

"Yeah, the King wants to test us out and we might be able to do a little good here and there?" Nyx said, the two of them ended up crashing on her couch and just relaxing, having some tea. "I think it'll be fine, just... gonna miss going out there with you."

"You'll do fine," Iris assured him, and then she nudged a shoulder against his and he dragged her in for a hug. "Just don't do anything I wouldn't do."

The laughed over that for a few minutes before Nyx pulled out a small package. "I was in one of the markets? stores? with Libertus and Drautos the other day and saw this, it reminded me of home."

Iris took it, since it was obviously a gift, and then unfolded the sack that Nyx had used to wrap it and look down at it. It was a beautiful bracelet, silver, with a blackbird motif. "Damn," she said turning it over in her hands. "I'm surprised, I guess, seems really... Galahdian for an Insomnian store."

"I know, that's why I had to get it." Blackbirds were a weird pile of symbolism back in Galahd, but Nyx and Libertus both had gotten crow's foot tattoos on their faces to symbolize wisdom and intelligence. They were a popular symbol in the resistance and a way of saying that the past wasn't forgotten. Iris had never gone so far as to tattoo one on her body, but she had a necklace with the motif.

"It's beautiful. You didn't have to."

He shrugged. "Drautos and Libertus might have given me the nudge, but what if I want to keep my first captain safe?"

She smiled, and then tilted her head against Nyx's shoulder. "Thanks." She took the bracelet and pulled it on running her hand over the beautiful engraving. "I love it."

"Good, now I better get out of here. Have to be up early tomorrow."

Iris didn't know if the thing was completely her taste, but she decided if she was going to be a Lady it couldn't hurt to have some jewelry. It also just screamed _Galahd_ and that, more than anything, told her that she needed to have more of that in her life.

Clarus asked about it the next day, and he didn't seem particularly pleased by it, but... she supposed that was life. Her father didn't seem to much approve of half of what she did anyway. At least she could have a reminder of her friends while they were away fighting for her King and Prince.

*

Cor was more than glad to have some free time again. He was also man enough to admit that he was looking forward to a bit more time to train with Iris or spend with her. Just because he was well-aware that they couldn't be more didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy the solid friendship that was developing between them.

A small amount of time for himself in the afternoon meant he found Iris and her small collection of boys in the Shield's private training room, Iris showing them some basic self defense blocks. He smiled, it seemed all of the kids were more than happy to do it. Gladio, as was his usual, looked the least happy to be there and was probably the most advanced of them, thus making the instruction old hat.

Cor waited for a few moments, watching, as the boys went through their blocks, and then the four of them sat around in a circle and relaxed. Cor made his own approach, earning him a quick greeting from the kids and a smile from Iris, at which point he sat down on Iris's left and made note of the trim silver bracelet that adorned her wrist. It was a lovely piece, although probably not custom.

After he realized the not at all subtle blackbird motif the point of the thing became obvious. Myrls were a popular adornment of late, associated with the Rogue Queen of days past and her more... free form approach to love and romance. Single women sometimes wore them to indicate either a desire for sex and love outside of a marriage or serious relationship, or courting women to indicate a serious relationship. Cor had to think that Iris would have had to mean it as the former given how new she was to Insomnian courtship, but... well Cor didn't think it was necessarily a wise idea for a woman of Iris's station to wear.

"The bracelet...?" He knew he shouldn't have asked, it wasn't his business...

"Nyx gave it to me," she answered, a little smile on her lips, and Cor realized that no, he'd simply misjudged the relationship between the pair.

If asked, he would have said that it was a more sibling relationship, but obviously not.

"Since he was heading off to fight, yaknow?"

"Yes," he answered with a smile that he didn't quite feel. He was glad enough to have not made an idiot of himself if Iris and Nyx already had some sort of understanding. As long as she was happy. "No doubt he hopes you will not forget him."

"I can't forget him!" Iris answered with a little chuckle, but then she sighed. "Well, I've promised the runts a visit to the skywalk, you want in?"

He probably shouldn't have, but he nodded regardless.

The three boys, Cor, and Iris made their way to the Skywalk, where only a few days ago he and Iris had danced... Cor couldn't deny that he loved watching Iris like this, and it was terribly unfair for him to do it. It was with that mix of guilt and joy in his heart that he finally headed to see Clarus in the afternoon and go over anything that needed their collective attention.

Clarus, it seemed had other things on his mind: "What do you know about Nyx?"

Cor pulled up a chair and let himself sit before he sighed. "You should be having this conversation with _Iris_ , not me."

"My daughter shut me down," Clarus answered. "I... may have been a bit firm, but she won't talk to me about him at all now."

What was he supposed to say? 'He got the girl I like'. "He's a good man," Cor said, trying to think of how to describe him. Cor had been training him for months. "He's from a decent home in Galahd, he lost his mother and sister about three years ago. He's focused, hard working... a bit obsessive but not dangerously so. He respects Iris a great deal. Nyx is twenty I think, thereabouts."

"I had hoped she might take up with an Insomnian," Clarus said with a deep, world-weary sigh.

"You can hardly blame her," Cor answered. "I know you must have heard some of the gossip. It's been around the Crownsguard for months, and it was out in virulent force during the party."

"Bedding down and getting sand fleas," Clarus said, obviously repeating something he'd heard. "Trust me, it took a great deal of willpower not to see a handful of young lords... removed of their ability to bed any woman, much less my daughter."

"I'm sorry," Cor answered. "It's... It's too easy for us to forget how much some people inside the Walls hate Galahd."

"Most of the men and women who gave a damn about them died to try to save their homes." Clarus rubbed his hand against his brow, pushing back what must have been the beginnings of a headache. "I do want what's best for Iris, and... maybe this Nyx boy is that, but I want to _meet_ him, and all she says is it's not my business and she's allowed her own life. If I put my foot down too strongly, I worry she'll..."

"She won't abandon Noct," Cor said, he could swear that on his life.

"I know, but everything else? She's reluctant to go to Lords' Council, and she and Jasmine are barely cordial. Gladio has finally stopped giving her the stink eye constantly but I don't think that relationship has blossomed much at all, and then she takes up with possibly the most unsuited man she could and broadcasts it for all to see..."

"And all this for a sweet young Galahdian girl almost two decades ago," Cor said, trying to make light of it for the moment and Clarus laughed.

"Still wouldn't change it for the world. I... I've been thinking about it of late, and I sure as hell can't tell that to Jasmine, but I would have married Louri if she asked. I almost asked her back to Insomnia after Galahd, you know."

"I didn't," Cor answered.

"I love her and I'm cursing her in the same breath..."

Cor sort of understood, but that didn't make it any easier. He felt awkward as hell discussing Iris's love life with Clarus, but the two of them were friends, and it only made sense. He knew Clarus didn't have many people he could confide in, Regis of course, but one didn't really bug the King about your daughter's love life.

The Kingsglaive was deployed for well over a month, and Cor made a point of passing any information he had back to Iris so that she would know if Nyx was safe or not. He got a few scrapes and bruises here and there, but generally Iris just greeted the information with a happy smile, and sometimes probed about Libertus as well.

He tried not to let his chest ache when the men and women finally came home and Iris spent the entire day with Nyx and Libertus and he knew without a doubt that she was happy and in love. Cor was on a brief errand when he saw the two of them shoulders together, sitting next to each other in the royal gardens, heads together and deep in thought and discussion, wrapped up in each other.

It was likely for the best. Cor was an inappropriate option for lover regardless. He was more than capable of being an adult about things, he could care for Iris and know that she didn't return those feelings. It hurt, he couldn't deny that, he didn't think he'd ever quite felt the way he did about Iris... but she wasn't his, it was as simple as that.


	4. Chapter 4

Iris was unbelievably glad to have Nyx and Libertus back in Insomnia, it finally actually felt like she had people who liked her back. Her relationship with Clarus had been strained of late, with him frequently annoyed that Iris wouldn't introduce him to Nyx. Jasmine had said something about not being able to work with 'the material' right now and hadn't even bothered to do her makeup for the handful of events Iris had to go to.

Cor, to his credit, didn't seem mad at her, but Iris had to wonder if she was missing something big between them. She hoped not... but he hadn't asked her to dance again since that first Kingsglaive party.

Iris had also had to field at least five _very_ inappropriate offers from younger Lords, because apparently people had decided that because she was a bastard that meant she was good for a roll in bed and nothing else.

Still, October brought the anniversary of the Crownsguard and another huge party, and Iris had finally gotten her own mess dress that she was carefully fixing a button on.

"Mom, I..."

She looked up and saw Gladio at the door holding up a little jacket.

"You're not Mom."

"No I am not," Iris answered with a little smile. "Did you need something sewn?"

Gladio warred with himself for a moment before he held the jacket up: "I broke a button."

Iris held out a hand and Gladio handed over the bits. It took her a few moments to match the thread and then she worked on reattaching the button.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Fixing up my mess dress, and I was thinking of making a stuffed octopus from Noctis. The King told a bedtime story that has him obsessed with them."

"You can do that?" Gladio sounded awed.

"Sure, do you want me to show you?"

And so it was that after four months of near silent treatment from Gladio that the ice finally cracked over sewing a stuffed octopus.

"Can you make a stuffed behemoth?!"

She grinned. "Is that what you want?"

"Um... that's... yeah?"

"Why don't you find me some pictures and I'll work on it when I'm done with Noct's gift."

Gladio came back an hour or so later with four pictures of a behemoth and then didn't leave her side as she sketched, cut pieces, and sewed for the octopus. "I'm sorry I was mean..."

Iris looked over to him and smiled. "I understand why you are mad. I didn't want to steal anything from you."

"I know..." He frowned. "Um..."

Iris held up an arm, and Gladio leaned in to bump them. "Remember, Noct needs you too."

"Right..."

She reached out and touched his hair, and he didn't recoil or bat her hand away. "We're both Amicitias, no slacking just because you're not the Shield."

Gladio grinned at that. "So... um... how long for the behemoth?"

She chuckled. "Prince first, baby bro. It will take some planning, so another few days, but you'll get your behemoth."

The day of the party itself came, and Iris found herself in the grand Assembly Hall, drinks and appetizers and all sorts of things available. The King was there with Noct and Ignis, Clarus was there with Gladio, and there were just a few hundred men and women that comprised most of the Crownsguard.

Cor was there, of course, dressed to kill. She came over to him and smiled, and he returned the smile warmly. "Big party," she remarked.

"Every year, thankfully I've escaped commendation this year, and I won't have twenty years of service until next year."

"Twenty years? Aren't you... young?"

"Rapidly heading to thirty two," he answered with a smile.

"You enlisted at thirteen?!" Iris had had no idea.

"On my birthday, actually. Your father got me a dispensation, and... well it might have been Crownsguard or jail..." He coughed, and Iris watched the embarrassed flush of his cheeks.

"And now you're... respectable."

"It's a struggle, but I do sometimes manage."

"You're pretty damn amazing," Iris said, terrified by how much she meant it and how much... She didn't know why she kept being drawn to him, but whenever she was near him she just felt warm, and happy, and safe and... it was getting out of hand.

She was fairly certain there were elaborate hand gestures and some sort of fan symbol thing that would communicate 'you, ask me out!' but so far she'd been tentative to pursue that either. Cor was a friend, and she never really had pursued men for longer term relationships. Iris had made peace with the idea that she would never have a husband long ago, and now she was... well she was pissed she wasn't getting _decent_ guys offering but...

Cor put her off, but she eventually managed to twist his arm for a dance, packed in a bit too close, stealing a bit of heat and the close feeling she got from him, and she resolved that she was at least going to try, and by golly she was going to do it _right_.

Iris clapped politely through the award ceremony, and then headed to the small apartment she kept in the Citadel and pondered the problem of Cor Leonis.

She and Jasmine had been a bit on the outs since a bit after the Kingsglaive party, but Iris swallowed her pride and dug up some of the tea she knew her step mother loved and joined her in her sitting room that Saturday afternoon.

"Um, Jasmine?"

For all she was distant, she wasn't icy, at least, and Iris could appreciate that, and the woman gave her a polite smile that seemed fairly earnest on her face. "Yes?"

"Can you teach me how I'm supposed to get a man to court me? Or, you know, tell him I'm interested and be correct and proper about it."

The woman looked up at her, startled, eyes confused. "Your Nyx boy?"

"What?" Iris shook her head. "No, someone else."

A complicated set of expressions crossed Jasmine's face, Iris caught some confusion but the rest was just unreadable to her. "Dear, you... it's going to be quite hard to get anyone decent to have an interest."

She sighed, and hung her head. She'd started to get that impression from the fact that pretty much no one decent had expressed any interest since that Kingsglaive party. "Because... why?"

"You've been pretty brazen about going on with Nyx."

"Brazen? About Nyx?" Iris didn't know what Jasmine was talking about. "We're friends, I've never... we're like siblings, me and Nyx and Libertus."

"You're wearing a courtship gift from him," Jasmine said. "That bracelet you parade around in. It's not proper."

"It's not... it's a Galahdian thing," she argued. "It's blackbirds, you know?"

Jasmine looked startled at that, and shook her head a bit. "What do you think that means?"

"The bracelet?" she asked, clarifying what she didn't really need to. "Well, in Galahd blackbirds are associated with a free Galahd, and the Resistance. You can't always wear them openly but it's about wisdom and not forgetting the past. Nyx got it for me when he was heading off, you know, so we always remember home."

She watched her step mother collect herself for a moment, pouring tea and staring into it and then shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I've been remiss."

Iris looked up, confused.

"I just assumed you'd know... blackbirds have a lot of different meanings, but a woman wearing that around anymore means she's not interested in a husband, just a lover."

"I've been wearing this for... weeks," Iris said. "No one said anything."

"Your father tried to speak to you about meeting Nyx, if he was going to be your intended."

Iris sat back in her chair, shocked. "But I thought he was just trying to be an ass about my friends. He... Oh... I didn't know."

"But that means no man interested in courting would look twice, since... well..."

"Everyone thought I was fucking around with Nyx," she said, words completely improper but she didn't care. "We're just friends, really."

Iris looked down at the offending piece of jewelry that she'd been happily wearing for weeks, and she fumbled with it to take it off and hold in her hands.

"Wait... _everyone_ thinks that? The _King_ , Noct? Those assholes who keep asking me to be a mistress?"

Jasmine looked absolutely scandalized by the last concept. "Well that's just not proper even if you are sleeping about! You give me their names at once and I'll see them properly handled."

Iris smiled slightly at that. "But... alright, I guess I can't really expect anyone to... I mean is that it? I'm out of luck?"

The woman seemed to consider for a long moment, and she reached out a hand. Iris was a bit confused by the gesture for a moment, but she did reach back and felt Jasmine squeeze her hand. "It's thankfully not expected for a woman, even a lady, to remain chaste until marriage any longer, but most wouldn't be interested in anything resembling a courtship or dating until you'd been apart from Nyx for some time."

"Even though we weren't together in the first place?"

"It's likely best to act as though it was... a youthful indiscretion rather than attempt to deny it. Spend some time in a more modest frame, and then we'll discuss winning men over." Jasmine sighed, and then with her other hand she brushed Iris's hair down. "I apologize, your father and I both thought it was a bit of a teenage rebellion on your part, and Clarus is disinclined to press you too hard."

Iris looked down at her hand. "I'm not trying to be difficult, Jasmine." She felt a prickle of wetness in her eyes at the thought, at the idea that _everyone_ thought she was with Nyx and almost no one had said anything and... "I'm not saying I'm going to be the perfect lady or the perfect daughter, but I'm really not trying to be difficult, it's just strange and everything is so different and I was so happy to have something that reminded me of home and my friends."

"It's been a difficult few months for all of us," Jasmine agreed. "A tiny part of me is glad to have you take away the Shield from my son. It's not an easy life."

"He wanted it, though."

"He did. I always knew my eldest would be destined to serve the King, and thankfully in the last hundred years a Shield has not needed to give his life for his King, but sometimes things aren't the way we wish."

Iris chuckled, it was a bit morbid, but Jasmine was basically glad to know Iris would be in front of Noct first. "One small benefit. I would die for Noct, though. I'd rather not, but I absolutely will."

"You really are Clarus's daughter. You have his fire. I think that's why it was easy to imagine you were happily telling anyone who wished to see that you were with someone you cared for." Jasmine squeezed her hand one more time and then pulled her hands away. "I don't think I ever told you, and you probably wouldn't know. Lord Lyon, your grandfather, he didn't approve of me at all. I'm hardly _bad_ blood, but as far as aristocratic families go my family is about as low as you can look. I joined the Crownsguard to help support my family, and to serve my country."

"The Crownsguard?!" Iris couldn't imagine, Jasmine was so poised and beautiful...

"Intelligence, not really the battlefield," she said. "But yes, that's where I met your father, he was taken with me, and I with him. We eloped."

Iris looked over at Jasmine, surprised. "Wow... I had no idea."

"So... I think Clarus hoped by not opposing your relationship with Nyx he might eventually be able to discuss considering other, more suitable options."

"Is he not suitable because he's Galahdian?" Iris asked, annoyed.

Jasmine gave her a slight sigh. "Not because he's Galahdian, but because he's not an Insomnian society family. You will have to take over many duties from Clarus as you grow older, and he hoped to have a husband who would compliment that need, not make it worse."

"I guess that does make sense... I mean Nyx is shit at political stuff."

"And you are so much better," Jasmine said, with a wry little smile.

"I don't think you've ever teased me before," Iris said, smiling back just a little. "But, Jasmine, if I do something that... brazen again, tell me?"

"Of course." Jasmine nodded. "I'm sorry we didn't talk sooner, I suppose I just..."

"I know I'm not anyone's favorite person in this family right now," Iris answered. "I'll try."

"As will I."

After a very long moment to deliberate, Iris leaned in and gave Jasmine a hug. "Thanks, you're... pretty alright. Maybe next party you can do my hair?"

"And your makeup, I did order some more that was a better color for you and we'll bring out those huge eyes."

The talk with Clarus... well... Iris was pretty sure he almost cried in relief when Iris explained it. It would still take some doing, but it seemed like there were a few cracks starting to form in the frozen, stony wall of the Amicitia house. Iris still wasn't prepared to move back from the Citadel, but maybe sometime.

Jasmine took her shopping for a few more jewelry pieces that didn't scream 'I'm fucking a guy' and it was awkward, but alright, just like most of the rest of her life.

*

Cor spent much of his early week training with the newly returned Kingsglaive and relaxing into a somewhat comfortable friendship-rivalry with Drautos. Since the first mission, Drautos had been confirmed as the leader of the Kingsglaive by the Lord's Council. Cor would hardly call them dear and close friends, but he and Drautos were becoming a bit more relaxed around each other and Cor had to admit he enjoyed having another addition who challenged him in the dueling arena.

He also spent a bit of time with Nyx. He had every intent not to be an ass to the man Iris wanted to be with. He even felt they were becoming better friends.

Of course his general good feelings towards the man were brutally cut down when Iris joined him for training in the midweek without her usual silver bracelet and with one hell of a frown.

"Alright?" he asked, because it was clear she _wasn't_ , but he didn't know how to broach the subject.

"So apparently that bracelet Nyx got me means we were dating."

Cor stared for a moment, not quite sure what to say to that. "Yeah? I figured it was a courtship gift."

"Why did _no one_ tell me this?!" Iris snapped at him.

"I..." Cor struggled for a good answer to that, one that didn't revolve around the fact that he didn't want to talk to Iris about how happy she was with someone else. He had his damn pride. "I figured if you wanted to talk about it you would?"

She sighed. "Well, Nyx and I thought it was a Galahdian thing, but now I'm..." She waved her hand and Cor didn't know exactly what she meant by that, but he could imagine it wasn't kind.

"Well, at least I don't have to do something to him for breaking your heart."

"He's like a brother," Iris answered with a grumble. "But thanks, I think... it's sweet that you care. I mean we laughed about it, but I don't exactly love the fact that pretty much everyone in Insomnia thinks I'm a slut."

Cor had no real answer for that, but he supposed he could try. "You're allowed to be with someone. The aristocracy is a little backward about that sort of thing, but Nyx could buy that because a lot of women want to embrace their..."

"Rogue Queen?" Iris asked.

He nodded. "Exactly. I just want you to be happy, Iris. I know coming here wasn't exactly everything you would have liked, but..." He sighed, not quite certain how to say what he meant, but knowing that he really couldn't convey it properly. "I'm sorry. Nyx seemed like a reasonable person for you to be dating."

"I guess," Iris answered. "Ugh, well... forget that crap. You owe me some sparring, Marshal."

He gave her a bow and the two of them relaxed into a quick sword form and then a spar. She was getting to a point where Cor was honestly impressed with her. There were still a few details that eluded her, and she expended too much energy from time to time to make her moves, but she was impressive.

"I'm not unhappy," she said, when they were relaxing after the spar, Iris stretching a bit. "I'm not _happy_ either, but I'm not unhappy, yaknow?"

Cor nodded.

"Jasmine and I are talking a bit, Gladio is in love with me now that he knows I can sew stuffed animals, Clarus is talking to me again because he's not worried I'm going to go elope to Galahd and become a gighee farmer..."

That got him to give an amused snort. "Did he seriously say gighee farmer?"

"No, that was my flourish, but Jasmine informed me that Amicitias have a history of eloping with unsuitable spouses..."

Cor smiled at that. "Not sure how much of an elopement it is when it's the King doing the ceremony... but Lyon definitely didn't approve. He got over it eventually but..." Cor shrugged. "He was a good guy, heavily supported Galahd, and Drosia, but there was only so much to be done with the Empire so intent on taking the territories. Tried to encourage people from outside the city to join the Crownsguard, too, but it never really took."

"It's so weird, I have this whole family that I don't really know. I'm trying, I have to know all of this."

Cor reached out and elbowed her in the side, just lightly. "Don't worry too much, you do have support. I know it's hard to feel it, but..."

"I know." Iris sighed. "The Noct part? That's weirdly easy. It should be hard but this part of me just... loves him? Clarus said he feels the same way about the King, like there's a piece of you that just loves your King."

Clarus had never put it in those words, but Cor knew there was an attachment there that transcended friendship.

"It's everything else that sucks, the Lord's Council and the Amicitia stuff, and accidentally getting engaged to my best friend and trying to figure out how to twist a fan to say 'hey, you're hot'."

He snorted, and then propriety be damned he slung an arm over her shoulder. They'd touched before, although never really _hugged_ , but he knew that he was one of her closest friends that was even vaguely her own age and wasn't related to her or her charge.

Iris's phone buzzed and she pulled it out. "I have to go with the car to pick up Noct from school. I promised him arcade time." She stood, stretched, and then gave him a little smile. "You gonna make good on that curry invite?"

"Wednesday? Hopefully not too disappointing."

Cor spent a truly embarrassing amount of time making sure he was dressed well. He had enough experience being pursued that he had a small list of things that he had been told looked good on him, which was how he ended up in a trim pair of jeans and a blue shirt that 'showed off his eyes'.

Iris came over while Cor was cooking, dressed in a cute dress that showed off her legs, and he found her sitting at his kitchen counter helpfully eating bits of the cooking as he worked.

"Good?" he asked.

Iris chuckled. "It's good. It's nice, reminds me of home."

They talked about Galahd and the resistance, the Kingsglaive and Crownsguard.

"Have you... do you feel settled in?" he asked after dinner, the two of them curled on the couch with two glasses of wine, definitely noting the way her hair had grown out just a bit, flirting with her jawline.

"I'm doing well enough, it's still so strange, but at least the Noct part wasn't a challenge. It's just Clarus's expectations that really keep me from feeling on top of things."

"You'll get it down," he assured her.

Cor decided that the worst part of the evening was that he really did like having Iris there, sitting on his couch, relaxing, drinking a glass of wine, soft smile on her face.

"This is nice," she said, tilting her head towards him, and Cor didn't fight the reflexive smile, no matter how much he probably should have.

"Yeah."

Iris seemed to watch him for a moment, her eyes locked with his, and Cor felt his mouth go dry and his breath catch in his throat.

"Ah, hell..." Iris turned away, and the spell was broken. "Look I'm sure there's some fan fluttering and eye batting I could do, maybe flag signals or radio code, but the only reason I even figured out that Nyx gave me a courtship gift at all was because I asked Jasmine how to get someone to... how to get _you_ to know I wanted..."

"Me to court you?" He felt his voice break, just slightly, in a way he wasn't certain it had in years, and Iris just looked over at him and seemed to be fighting down a smile.

"Yeah. That."

Cor reached out a hand, fingers brushing along her jaw, and Iris turned into the touch, and he brought up his other hand, gently brushing his thumb over the furrows on her other cheek. "You like the plebe stuff, right?" he asked, slightly rhetorical, but she nodded anyway. "Go out with me?"

Her face lit up, brilliant and happy and he could see the hint of wetness in her eyes as she nodded. "I'd love to."

Cor was fairly certain that it wasn't proper at all to finish that agreement with a kiss, but Iris leaned in first and Cor wasn't going to say no. He pressed his lips to hers and his tongue slid against hers. Iris's response was to lean in, to demand even more, and what followed was a sloppy and aggressive back and forth, their tongues tangled, their hands against each other's bodies, and soft, needy noises traded against each other's lips.

"Six, Cor..." Iris said when their lips finally broke apart.

"Kissed is a good look on you," he answered.

Her hands brushed down his cheeks and then came to rest against his shirt. "I'm..." She sighed, leaning in and pressing her forehead against his shoulder and Cor reached out to touch her, drawing her in and he could feel her back tremble.

Cor brushed his fingers along the shell of her ear, pushing back her hair and running his hand down her shoulder. "Alright?"

"Yeah, just... yeah..." She leaned up, brushing her nose against his throat and kissing there for a brief moment. "Sorry, I just kept wanting you to... I'm so bad at this."

He chuckled.

"You know in Galahd I was a bastard, right?" She leaned back, just enough so she could look at him. He nodded. "No family, no property... all you could do is be with someone until they decided they wanted someone else, someone respectable."

That gave him pause, just for a moment, and he shook his head, reaching out again and touching her face. "I wanted you, respectable or not."

She smiled, soft and shy and bashful.

"I kept trying to decide how to ask you to come back with me..." He shook his head. "But... you _are_ respectable, so... I really should talk to Clarus."

Iris's head shot up, and her eyes widened. "But... what if he...?"

"Cross that bridge when we come to it," Cor said, and he reached out to touch her face again. "But we'll start with girlfriend?"

"Yeah," she said, smiling even brighter. "Yeah, we can do that."

He pulled her in again and they kissed, his hand skating against her thigh, and her hands weren't shy about running against his stomach and then all the way up his chest and against his throat before tangling in his hair.

"I thought you said something about me being respectable."

Cor groaned, and did let go, but he could tell she didn't want to stop their kisses either, still, they did, and Cor settled for reaching out to touch her hand and their fingers tangled together like that. They went back to their wine, this time with Iris curled up right against his side, and Cor's fingers tangled in her hair.

*

It had taken close to five months, but Clarus decided he was _almost_ used to the concept of having a daughter. As much as she continued to be very rough around the edges in many ways she'd taken to her role as Shield with no hesitation; she'd taken to her position as the future Lady Amicitia with far less grace than Clarus would have liked, but far more grace than he'd really had any right to expect.

She was also far more reasonable than Clarus had originally thought. Her ornery digging in of the heels about Nyx made far more sense in retrospect, and she'd been quite forgiving of Jasmine's hesitance and shortness, as well as Gladio's frustration. Clarus had piled a dozen responsibilities on her, and like a true Amicitia she had dug in, squared her shoulders, and taken them all on and pushed forward undaunted.

"So there's pressure to cut the funding for the outer territory reconstruction," Iris said with an annoyed tone. "Why don't they just give up the whole fucking country to the Empire and call it a day?"

Clarus smiled. "Somedays I want to ask them just that. Regis will put his foot down, but there's a great deal that goes on outside the city that three quarters of the population cares not a lick for."

Iris grumbled. "Well the money's there, if everyone agrees not to spend it all on... frivolous crap."

"Do you want to work on the counterproposal draft?" he asked.

"Not really, but I will," she answered, sighing and stretching and curling up in the chair. "Tomorrow."

"I did have one more thing to go over."

Iris groaned, but she straightened and looked at him with a sigh. "What's up?"

Clarus handed her the sheet of paper and Iris folded it open with quick hands, flattening it as she glanced over the first few lines. Clarus had already read over the letter of introduction, they all took a similar form: Lord Clarus, I want to court your daughter, please.

"In his accomplishments he put... intramural sports?"

Clarus shrugged.

"I can kill a guy with my bare hands, being good at football isn't exciting. Am I being too harsh?"

"No."

"Okay, good. So... um, no. No to Lord Football." She sighed and shook her head.

"Don't reject everyone though. You will presumably be interested in marriage to someone."

"Someone..." Iris flushed, and Clarus wondered what that was about, but he didn't want to probe too roughly just yet. "Well I'm going to watch some crappy monster movie with Gladio before I head home."

Clarus considered, and then took a deep breath. "You might think about considering the Manor your home."

"I might," she answered with a smile. "Not today."

She headed off, and Clarus had several minutes to relax and consider his daughter. Fiery and fierce...

A soft knock came at the door. "Yes?"

"My Lord," Jared said, entering. "The Marshal is here and requested an audience."

Clarus found himself smiling. "An audience... show him in."

Cor visiting late at night usually boded poorly, as it meant some type of news that didn't suit the phone. When Cor arrived, Clarus wondered if the poor man had gotten called out of a date. He was dressed in a suit, not even his Crownsguard one, an actual suit. As far as Clarus knew, Cor was not much of a dater. What little time he had set aside for the opposite sex now tended to be further curtailed by his duties to the Crown.

"Nice evening?" Clarus asked.

Cor gave a faint smile. "Maybe."

Clarus gestured to one of the sitting chairs and then since Cor didn't seem to be poised to pop from bad news, he poured them some scotch.

Cor took a deliberate drink and then held the glass in both hands, pondering it. "Lord Clarus."

Clarus's eyebrows shot up, Cor hadn't called him that in years. He was lucky to get a 'sir' any longer. Cor also seemed oddly stiff and formal, far beyond anything usual for him. He was usually a man of wry humor.

"I've come before you today to request your permission to enter into a courtship with your daughter, Iris Amicitia."

A sip of scotch made a painful attempt for Clarus's nostrils as he sputtered.

"Although I am of no family of note, I have served Insomnia and her King faithfully for nineteen years and gained distinction in that serv--"

"Cor, sweet Shiva stop before you kill me."

The man frowned. Clarus struggled to breathe for bit. Iris and _Cor_?!

"You wouldn't be asking if you hadn't already talked to Iris," Clarus said. That was more than obvious.

"Of course." Still formal and stiff.

"Cor, relax, please."

He took a long, slow breath and then a drink of scotch. "Sorry, I... wanted to ask properly."

Clarus smiled at that. "Well normally I'd ask after your accomplishments... but instead I'll ask how long you've had designs on my daughter?"

"Since... before I knew she was your daughter."

That made Clarus smile again. "Six, seven months?"

Cor gave a nod.

"Well, I've made a point of asking my daughter's opinion on suitors, and she just so happens to still be here..."

Clarus called for Jared to fetch Iris. Cor sat, hands nervously folded in his lap. He knew Cor wasn't a man for fidgeting, but he did so now.

"Clarus?" Iris asked, entering and catching the sight of Cor. If he'd had any doubts that she hadn't agreed to the courtship, her beaming smile immediately said otherwise. "Hey, Marshal."

"Iris, this young man has asked me for my permission to allow him to court you."

Clarus watched his daughter's face break into a smile, clearly expecting exactly what she'd heard, and then a little blush spread across her features. "I... hopefully he has more exciting accomplishments than intramural football," she said, but Clarus watched the way her eyes followed Cor, and... Clarus couldn't deny that it warmed his heart to see his daughter actually look truly happy for the first time in months.

"Marshal of the Crownsguard if you believe it," Clarus answered, and he enjoyed the way Cor looked at him with the time worn look of 'are you fucking serious, Clarus?' that he was far more used to from his friend. He looked between the two of them, and then took a deep breath. "I assume you're interested if he's here at all."

Iris looked down at her hands for a moment, and then back up, a tiny flush across her cheeks. "Yes. Cor said he wanted to do this right and I..." She glanced to Cor and then back to Clarus. "I like him, a lot."

Clarus watched as his friend looked down, smiling, clearly thinking something similar to what his daughter had just said. He wasn't entirely certain how he felt about the development, although if what Cor was saying was true - and he had every confidence it was - Cor had been attracted to Iris for some time, and his daughter... well he'd wondered about that first dance between them at the Kingsglaive party, wondering if it was friendship or something more, and now it was perhaps obvious it had been his daughter's attempt to snag the man.

"Permission granted," Clarus answered. "Don't knock her up."

"Clarus!" Cor's voice was downright scandalized.

Iris, however, snickered. "Well that's super hypocritical."

Cor, damn him, smiled in response, and Clarus watched when Iris held her hand out and Cor reached out to take it, and their fingers twined together. They looked quite sweet like that, and Clarus was surprised to see that side of his friend, happy and although certainly not carefree, he was more at ease than Clarus remembered seeing the man in a long time.

"Well, I think you should stay for tea, Cor," Clarus said after that, with no ability to miss that this wasn't a request.

He then left them for a moment, to go check on Jared and see to it that they got some tea. When he looked back into the room, the two of them were wrapped around each other, Iris's fingers threaded through Cor's short hair and Cor holding on for dear life as the two of them kissed.

"Ahem?" He didn't so much clear his throat as make a pointed noise, and while Cor stepped back, Iris reluctantly let him go.

Cor then held his arm out and Iris took it. The two of them made their way to the receiving room and had a seat on one of the pink couches. It was an odd mix, Clarus had expected he would need to have months of time to get to know whatever young man Iris eventually chose to date, instead he found the two of them already with their own in jokes and Clarus well familiar with the potential suitor.

Even Jasmine knew Cor well, and Gladio was shocked to see the man over in the evening.

"Wait..." Gladio frowned. "If Iris marries Cor then that means the Immortal will be my brother?! That's so cool..."

Clarus had called the man 'son' more than a few times in their friendship, especially when Cor had been so young, but the idea of his Marshal being his son-in-law was a bit odd.

"I think he would," Iris answered. "But we have to see if we like courting first."

Clarus didn't intend to spy, but he had a feeling that how long it took for Iris to 'escort the Marshal to his car' that the two of them may have been tangled against the man's car for far longer than a few fractions of a second. Iris also returned with a slight pinkness to her cheeks.

"I think I'm going to head back to the Citadel," Iris said when she finally returned.

"Alright... treat him well," Clarus said, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder. "He'll get the same talk, just... he's a dear friend."

"Got it," she answered. "I'll treat him well... and he'll treat me well. Thanks..."

"As though I'd deny him," Clarus answered, but he nodded in response. "Goodnight, Iris."


	5. Chapter 5

Iris and Cor had agreed upon keeping things... a touch quiet at the start. Iris's vague 'reputation' was still recovering from the whole Nyx kerfluffle, and so she knew that picking up with another man so soon after was bound to cause some tongues to wag. In and of itself, she didn't mind the idea, but she didn't want Cor to have to deal with that crap.

She was going through another drill with her father after finishing up with a morning Council before she could finally head off to spend some time with Nyx and Libertus actually hanging out and being friendly. She hadn't told the guys about Cor yet - although she doubted they would be anything but thrilled.

"I heard the Lords have yet again attempted to remove all promised reconstruction funds," Drautos said, joining her as she sat on one of the many ledges that surrounded the training areas.

Iris wasn't in a mood that wanted to be brought down, so she frowned at the man. "Yeah. It's going to be _interesting_ to get them to look at different proposals."

She also considered for a moment, unsure how the news of yesterday's meeting had already made it so far. Iris wondered if Drautos had a friend on the Lord's Council, it wasn't unusual for high ranking military men to, obvious Cor was close with her father, but it seemed a bit early in Drautos's career to have such connections.

"As though they would actually choose to pass it."

"You know something I don't?"

Drautos shrugged, almost trying to keep an enigmatic air to his answer. "Human nature, I suppose. We're rats to them."

Iris frowned again, not really liking the idea. It wasn't untrue, but... "I suppose that would make me the head rat?"

"You know only those who are useful rise to the sort of ranks you hold," Drautos said.

She _hated_ that he was right, but at the very least she contented herself that her position, although acquired by birth, could hardly be kept without merit. Even Drautos himself had to have passed a trial of merit. The thing that bothered her the most, however, was not exactly what Drautos was saying, but that he was saying it at all.

Iris had given Libertus and Nyx her own ration of similar shit back in Galahd when they were thinking about swearing their lives to the Kingsglaive, arguing that the King wasn't worth it, or that they were being used. Iris may have said similar things to Cor back in Galahd, and even since coming to Insomnia, but... most of her doubts were quiet and personal, talking over the issues with her father or Cor or even the King himself... She wasn't trying to convince those men they were evil, simply force them to explain and discuss the trials of Galahd.

It was that talking that had allowed her to make peace with the past. "It's a matter of practicality," she answered, finally. "Soulless, but practical." She remembered the way that King Regis had told her that she was allowed to hate him as long as she loved Noct.

"And you're happy to serve and die for a King like that?"

It... Iris bothered her, but... there was something not quite right about the whole thing. "Not always..."

"Then you're smart."

Iris nodded, but the exchange left her uneasy.

Eventually, Nyx finished with training and Libertus ended up staying behind because he had more duties to attend to. Iris took Nyx to the curry place she and Cor had found, and the two of them enjoyed a lazy late afternoon dinner.

"Is he always like that?" Iris asked, dunking her bread in their curry and slopping up some of the peas there.

"Who like what?" Nyx asked, helpfully shoving a piece of meat her way so she could spear it and add it to her food scoop.

"Drautos and that... I don't know, I remember it when you got recruited: 'your power's on loan from the King', and then he was pretty harsh about some of the political crap going on now."

"Oh..." Nyx frowned, and then started to pick at his dinner a bit. "Yeah? I think he just uses it as a way to fire us up, I guess? You've got to remember you're pretty much the only Crownsguard we hang out with. It's pretty easy to get contentious."

Iris frowned at that. "But Cor trained you for weeks... and some of the Crownsguard guys are really nice. There's this woman Monica who works in intelligence who I'm going shopping with sometimes."

Nyx shrugged. "It's just to fire us up, Iris. You know how me and Libertus feel."

"The King saved your lives so now you owe him that life." Iris sighed, and the two of them went back to their meals. She wished she could have explained exactly why it bothered her, but the truth was she didn't really understand it other than a strange twist in her gut.

Iris left it, at least for that evening.

"You look... grumpy," Cor noted, the two of them curled up on Iris's couch picking over dinner from the mess hall.

"I've been... do you think it's effective to train by belittling people?" That was all she could think to ask in that moment.

Cor shrugged. "We don't do that in the Crownsguard. Well, sometimes, but it's definitely when it's deserved, when people are slacking... sometimes that drive to compete makes men better, sometimes it makes them cave. Is this about Drautos?"

Iris grumbled. "Yeah?

"Is he giving Nyx and Libertus trouble?"

"Libertus a little," Iris answered, trying to sort out what she wanted to say as she stayed curled at Cor's side.

Cor made a contemplative noise, and then reached out and brushed his fingers at her hair and then he pressed his nose there, nuzzling for a moment. Iris giggled and lightly elbowed him. 

"Well what do you want me to say?" he asked, chuckling. "Is he being fair or not? I can't say I'm fond of his decision to be so... divisive with the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive, but it's certainly not escalated into something unacceptable. Many of the Crownsguard are suspicious of people from outside the Wall. I can't change people's minds, no matter how unfounded or inappropriate."

Iris nodded, or did slightly, not wanting to bash Cor in the nose. "I guess it just feels... off."

"Then it feels off," Cor answered.

"My King, right or wrong?" Iris asked, because it wasn't exactly how she wanted to feel but at the same time it seemed like she might have to.

"Six, no... I've told Regis off more than a few times. He and Clarus always say that the ability of a man to be sure enough in his opinions to speak truth to power... that's a rare thing, Iris."

"But..." Iris frowned again. "In front of the men?"

"People who aren't Clarus, or you? My King, right or wrong." Cor shifted, and then looked over to her. Iris looked up into his eyes and saw concern.

"It's just... Nyx and Libertus love the King, when they were younger Regis saved their lives and they'll love him through anything," Iris said, Cor knew that already, of course, but she needed to say it. "But... Drautos... he always is reminding the men: 'your power is on loan from the King', but... when I said that I didn't always love the idea of dying for my King he said that made me smart..."

Cor frowned.

"You know I love Noct, but... I'm not used to the idea of dying for him. It's not even that I'm shying away from my duty, but..."

"No, you're right that's... oddly..."

"Like I said, it felt wrong."

"Every man's allowed his opinion, of course, and it's hard not to be bitter sometimes, and I say that as a man who's lived inside the Wall all his life." Cor touched her hair again, and even fiddled with it for a few moments. "Drautos is allowed to have his private doubts... but Six that's a bit blatant, to say that to the King's Shield..."

"Prince's Shield," Iris corrected, but she wasn't really smiling. " _And_ he was talking about yesterday's Council meeting, which I suppose isn't so weird, but it was just after it happened. I don't think Clarus talks to _you_ about Council that quickly or often..."

"He doesn't," Cor answered. "Although he admittedly knows I find that crap a little boring. I ended up serving as Regis's Chamberlain for I think four months. Worst four months of my life."

"Ugh," Iris turned to him, and then pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm not sure this relationship will work if I can't fob off Council duties on you."

"Oh you _can_... you'll just need to ask very, _very_ nicely."

There was something unfair at how amazing Cor sounded when he said things like that, and Iris leaned in to press a kiss to his throat and then began to trail up to his jaw and then brushed his lips with hers. He did, however, reach up and nudge them apart again.

"But now you have me concerned about Drautos as well."

Iris knew that was reasonable, but she groaned anyway and leaned back to look at him. "I'm not sure I like that. I mean, like you said, everyone's allowed their own doubts and opinions. You don't give me a hard time for them."

Cor nodded. "And I know you're fundamentally tied to the Prince in a way that cannot be broken, I don't know that about Drautos. I'll make a discrete inquiry about his background check, I suppose."

"Background check?" Iris didn't really know what that was, other than the obvious meaning of the words themselves.

"Anyone who joins the Crownsguard, or the Kingsglaive, obviously, goes through a check to see if there's anything obviously wrong with them, quick credit check, look into references, that sort of thing," Cor explained.

"Did I have one?"

"Of course, so did Libertus and Nyx, although I'd largely decided they were alright after spending time with them in Galahd."

Iris knew she'd been... well not exactly enthusiastic about the Kingsglaive and Crownsguard in Cor's hearing. "What's mine say?"

"Well... Clarus and I talked... I was honest, I said you had conflicted feelings about the duty but a profound dislike of the Empire, but that you were a strong woman of principles."

Iris smiled at that, even though it was pretty much exactly the truth. "So you just go up and ask for--"

Cor shook his head. "I'll need to figure out who to talk to about it. If he does have people who look out for him... I'll want to avoid their attention. For now, just keep on talking with him."

"But right now... I want to spend time with you and not worry about this. Please?"

"Since you asked so nicely," he answered, and he reached out and tugged her towards him and Iris went, sliding against him and pressing their lips together. It was almost sweet, the lines Cor drew for himself, and Iris delighted in the stray touches he allowed himself, the way his hands touched against her hip or thigh even as he pulled his hands away. She also adored the way his short-cropped hair felt under her fingers, or the way he let her tug him close and just hold on.

"You're..." She looked over at him, at his slightly worn face and the soft smile there, and then she brushed her fingers along his face. She didn't even know what she wanted to say. Iris felt so lucky to be able to have something so right in her life. Everything else was in various states of mess, but here, with Cor, she could at least have something good.

Cor reached up and touched her hands, and then took them in his own and held them, finally pulling them to his lips, kissing them, and then flattening her palms against his chest.

They stayed silent like that, and it just seemed to fit, Iris finally tugging her hands so she could slide them against Cor's shoulders and hug him tight, her entire body wrapping around his like an octopus, and he chuckled, hands along her back again.

"So... did Clarus threaten to murder you?" Iris asked, nuzzling against his throat. "He asked me to treat you well."

Cor smiled against her neck, pressing his lips there. "Always meddling. He told me the same. It's funny, I think... well I joined the Crownsguard quite young, Clarus has always looked out for me. His head might explode from the contradiction of guarding the heart of his daughter and a dear friend. He's always looked at me as a bit of a kid."

"That's sweet."

"And annoying, at least he usually remembers I'm a grown man. A grown man who has to get to work in too few hours, actually..."

Iris made a little whining noise, but she did release him, and slide away from him. "Alright. Clarus has me training early, be busy for a few days. I'll leave you to worry about... all that crap."

"Will do." She felt a little bad for leaving a general nagging in Cor's gut, potentially over nothing, but at the same time it just felt... weird.

Iris felt much less like it was a bad idea when Drautos continued to discuss the negatives of the Crown with her over the next days, and she did her best not to dissuade him from continuing to talk.

*

Cor heavily debated whether or not he wanted to bring Iris's vague suspicions to Clarus, and then ultimately decided that he shouldn't leave the man with the sickening and concerned feeling in his gut. The truth was he wasn't certain he'd ever be able to look at Drautos exactly the same way again. As much as he knew that _he_ sometimes doubted and questioned Regis, there was most certainly a time and a place for that sort of talk, and it wasn't in front of young, impressionable subordinates.

Ultimately he decided to corner Monica in the mess. She was a few years younger than him, and a strong supporter of foreigners and their right to serve in the Crownsguard. Cor was also fairly certain that she and Iris had struck up a modest friendship if the things he'd heard from both Nyx and Iris were correct.

"Lieutenant Elshett."

"Marshal?"

He didn't know quite how to say what he needed, but ultimately as much as he occasionally dabbled in subterfuge, he didn't think that was merited right now: "I need you to pull the background checks for all of the Kingsglaive recruits, quietly."

Her eyebrows rose. "I... didn't think you were taking that little Kingsglaive-Crownsguard rivalry to heart."

"I'm not," he answered, voice firm, and eyes hard. "There was a potential accusation, and I want to take a look at the reviews from the ground up."

She didn't look exactly pleased, or certain he was telling the truth.

"I don't want to make this an order," he continued. "If I go through official channels it might tip our hand."

Monica, at least, appreciated the necessity of intelligence, and had no doubt personally performed many of the background checks for the Kingsguard or contributed. "You know that a lot of them don't exactly have much substance, right? They're little more than a credit check and a few interviews, if that."

"I know."

Cor found himself receiving the files in fits and spurts. Monica was actually quite the intelligence officer, and Cor's instruction to keep the investigation quiet had obviously been taken to heart. The documents largely arrived without comment, and there were more than a few that, as Monica promised, were little more than a credit check.

He found himself looking through Nyx and Libertus's files, his own notes on them, and he found they were honest and acceptable. Most of the files he set aside, unable to make a true determination, others were more aggressively positive. There were a handful of men and women who clearly meant to give their all to the Crown and Cor set them aside as well, adding Nyx and Libertus's trim files to that pile.

It was nice to know that despite the tragedies of the past there were many from Galahd or Drosia or Atumin that were patriotic and proud of Lucis. Cor didn't know if he would have been so kind and understanding if he had been born outside of the Wall.

One of the checks that trickled in was also of slight confusion and suspicion to Cor: Luche Lazarus. On its face, it wasn't particularly suspicious, a young man in his late teens from Atumin - the small island to the north west of Galahd - but what was a bit odd was that his background check largely revolved around testimonials from Drautos, a man who participated largely in the Drosian resistance and had only come to Insomnia recently. How an Atumin and a Drosian managed to meet and be friends enough to give recommendations where no others were available for Lazarus... well Cor decided to reserve judgement, but it was potentially... something.

After a day or two of going over the various reports that he was given, he hadn't found more than a handful of people who seemed actively suspicious, which did give him a small amount of hope, on the other hand there were those handful that gave him pause.

A soft tap came on the door and Cor called for the person to enter, Monica.

"Marshal," she greeted him, and then handed over the small folder. "That's for the Captain."

He nodded, trying to look bland as he opened it and began to slowly read over the material there. Cor read through his application, something he'd never seen before, listing his accomplishments with the Drosian Resistance. By its very nature, such credentials were impossible to truly corroborate without another person from the same cell or unit, but nothing about it had raised any particular alarms at first blush.

"Was there something, Lieutenant Elshett?" he asked, when Monica hadn't left after his first page.

"I... took the liberty of looking over the documents I acquired," she said, and he looked up, giving her a nod to continue. She slid into the guest chair at his desk and looked at him. "There's nothing _wrong_ with his background, of course, but..."

"But?"

"His only recommendation and testimonial was from Luche Lazarus, also of the Kingsglaive. They recommended each other; of course that's not on its face suspicious, but the two of them are from opposite ends of Lucis, Drosia and Atumin, and Lazarus is just too young to have really grown up in Atumin without it being... under heavy Imperial occupation, and there's really been no resistance there to speak of."

"That's not particularly evocative yet, Lieutenant," he said, trying to probe her unease without adding anything else to it. He wanted an honest opinion, something more than a dislike or a tainted opinion coming from a dislike of the man personally, or Iris's second hand concern.

"They have credit reports."

Cor nodded. "I... don't understand why that's bad. I thought that was used to ensure that a person isn't susceptible to monetary influence."

"They really shouldn't," she answered. "If two people come from outside the Wall, they might have a loan for a car, maybe, or some other element of the financial institution, but Lazarus and Drautos both have financial histories that predate their supposed immigration into the city by over a year. So that's weird, but what's weirder is... well Drautos was selected to be the leader of the Kingsglaive, right?"

"Correct."

"Nyx Ulric has more combat experience than Drautos claimed, and he's known to have been sympathetic to the Lucian cause since he was a child. The Shield's daughter served with him for years, and you've fought along side him as well... he's honestly a no-brainer for a nomination to the position of Captain," Monica continued, and Cor nodded along, that was still interesting, but nothing that Cor would feel could be acted on or used to make a determination. Nyx was a bit of a hot-head, even Cor had said as much in his reports. "Lord Clarus nominated him, even."

Cor hadn't known that, but it did make sense, and he nodded, that was going on during the 'bracelet issue' so it might have even been Clarus's peace sign, or perhaps the man hadn't advocated hard for the man, just nominated him out of deference to Iris. "His lack of selection lies with the Council of Lords though, I would think."

"Lord Aldrich recommended Captain Drautos."

Cor knew that name, although it was nothing anyone would have acted on, Aldrich did have his... eccentricities and vices that made him a popular target for Crownsguard intelligence investigations that weren't technically supposed to exist. He wasn't confirmed to have ties to Niflheim, but there were occasional concerns that he might. 

"He owns First Insomnian National Bank," Cor said, because he didn't want to look like an idiot, and...

Monica nodded.

"Don't finish your thought," Cor ordered. "Unthink it."

He watched the look of confusion and concern pass over Monica's face, but eventually she nodded again. "If you're certain, Sir."

"I think it goes without saying that I'll need you to not repeat this to _anyone_. I will be bringing this to Lord Clarus. Does intelligence have any recent files on Lord Aldrich?"

"No, Sir."

" _Quietly_ find me what we have."

"You already had suspicions," Monica said a moment later. "You're not even surprised."

"No more thinking." Cor gathered up the Drautos file and Lazarus's.

"Why was the less suited candidate chosen?"

The trouble with Monica was that she was too smart for her own damn good. "Honestly? I imagine Lord Clarus didn't advocate for the man particularly hard. I think the relationship between Nyx and Iris gave him pause."

"But Iris told me she wasn't even with the guy, her loss, he's cute."

"I'll be sure to pass on your regard," Cor answered, bland. "Like I said, don't put this out for anyone else to see right now. I thought there might have been one or two bits of trouble within the Kingsglaive, but with this... it might be even more and I don't want the lid blown off until we know the extent of a compromise, _if_ it exists."

"Of course." Monica nodded again, and then dismissed herself.

Cor frowned down into his papers after Monica left, and he resolved that he would need to look into far too much and he was concerned about... almost everything. His major concern was that the realm itself had been at least partially compromised by Niflheim, and given what he was reading that was entirely possible. He didn't like the idea one bit.

He decided that he would need to handle the whole thing with delicacy and more tact than he was usually prepared to throw at such things. 'Talk to Clarus' was first on the agenda, more than anything else. The other problem was that he wasn't certain he wanted to bring it to the man at work, the whole idea had made him paranoid, and he didn't feel he wanted to discuss it somewhere... tainted.

That settled, he decided to visit Clarus, and by extension Iris, at home at the Amicitia Manor. He knew Iris was still having trouble coming to terms with her blood family and all of the tangles it weaved, but Cor knew she was trying very hard.

"Ah, Marshal," Jared greeted him at the door. "Mistress Iris will be happy to see you."

Cor gave a smile. "Thank you, I also need to speak to Clarus, if you could check if he's busy."

Iris was in one of the drawing rooms with Gladio, the boy sitting next to her and they were watching some sort of monster film and complaining about the effects, only for Iris to jump up when she saw him and give him a firm hug and a firmer kiss.

"Groooooosss!" Gladio yelled at the two of them.

"Hah, just wait until you like girls," Iris answered, sliding her arms around Cor's waist.

"Unfortunately, not a social visit," he said, leaning in to press a kiss to Iris's forehead. "I've been looking into what you mentioned."

Iris's eyes grew wide, and then she nodded. "Shit..."

She and Cor headed up to Clarus's office when Jared summoned them, and after a few moments to get there, the two of them sat in Clarus's seats and the man asked for some tea.

"Please tell me this isn't about the one thing I told you not to do."

"If only it were so simple," Cor answered, and then realized what that implied, winced, and then shook his head. "No, it's a good deal worse."

Clarus's good humor evaporated, and then he glanced between the two of them, he and Iris exchanged a glance and then Cor gestured for Iris to begin.

"Drautos?" she asked, just checking, and Cor nodded. She turned back to Clarus. "A week or so ago, I was spending time with the Kingsglaive, just relaxing. I like spending time with the guys, but Drautos was there, and he was..." She seemed to struggle for her words. "He said things I think sometimes, things that aren't exactly flattering about Regis or Lucis, just that he's not got the outlying territories's best interests in mind, that it's wise to not be fully ready to die for the King, things that seemed _off_. So when Cor and I were spending some time together in the days after, I mentioned it."

"It was enough that I wanted to look into it," Cor said. "It could have been nothing, just a passing annoyance, but it didn't seem wise to have a man at the head of the Kingsglaive be so vocal of his dislike of that King. I asked Monica Elshett to pull the background checks of all of the Kingsglaive, not to target anyone in particular, and to see if there were any patterns that a single check didn't reveal."

Clarus frowned, not looking pleased at all, whether that was about Cor's methods or the news itself, Cor wasn't certain. Clarus gave him a good deal of latitude and sometimes he abused it, but Clarus had never seen fit to take back the latitude he'd allowed. Sometimes Cor grabbed enough rope to hang himself with, but often it proved fruitful.

"And?" Clarus finally prompted.

"Titus Drautos was given the go ahead to be in the Kingsglaive on the weight of a single testimonial from another Kingsglaive recruit and applicant: Luche Lazarus, he also, in turn, gave a testimonial for Lazarus. Not in and of itself suspicious, Nyx and Libertus have the same pattern, but while they fought in the same liberation together, Drautos is from Drosia while Lazarus is from Atumin."

"The other side of the continent," Clarus said, and then he frowned. "Did they give a specific indication of how they knew each other."

"Socially," Cor answered, and then shook his head. "That was it. Now that was fine in and of itself, but the fact of the matter was that Monica obviously took her own time to look at the documents, because she's smart, and not going to take 'don't think about it' for an answer... they both have strong credit histories that predate their supposed immigration to the city, and Drautos was recommended to his post by Lord Aldrich."

"He recommends plenty... Oh." It was clear that Clarus followed the line of reasoning, but Iris made a face, so Cor explained much of the background of the Lord to Iris again. "... Sweet Shiva..."

Clarus reached into his desk and pulled out a paper.

"This is from Lord Aldrich, or more properly his son Keaton, asking to court Iris."

"Aldrich hates you," Cor remarked.

"I think I met Keaton once, maybe?" Iris said.

"He's probably the best apple in the bushel," Clarus said after that. "But that's hardly saying much. I was in the middle of writing a refusal."

"Can I read it?" Iris said, and she held out a hand and Clarus passed it over and then tipped it so that Cor could read it as well.

"Respect your heritage...," Cor read. "It seems fairly well tailored to you, actually."

"Far more so than I think he would have gotten from five minutes of hellos at a party ages ago." Iris was entirely correct about that too. "Wait, he mentions helping me with any 'cultural misunderstandings'."

"Well you did spend a month and a half broadcasting that you were with Nyx," Cor said, hopefully not too harshly.

"Right, and Jasmine said there was no use acting like it was a misunderstanding, just to roll with the idea that Nyx and I had been together and then broke up. Passing it off as a youthful indiscretion, _not_ a cultural misunderstanding. Only a few people know that it was just an honest mistake, and they're not exactly going to just randomly blab to some Lord or his son. Are ravens sexual on Drosia?"

"Yes," Cor answered immediately. "All non-Galahdian areas share similar iconography, and the Rogue was well known for taking lovers from among Drosians."

"Go girl," Iris said with a little smile. "Nyx said Drautos was with him when he picked out the bracelet for me, and that he and Libertus gave him a nudge to get it. Drautos should have known what it meant. I didn't think about it much at the time because it had been months but..."

"So Drautos sets you up to look... promiscuous, you spend almost two months fighting with your father over him, that keeps him from advocating for Nyx particularly strongly to head up the Kingsglaive. You get nothing but trash for men for that time, and then a relatively attractive young man from a good family who respects your heritage swoops in to court you?" Cor said, following it mostly and being absolutely shocked at the relatively intricacy and success of it. Much of it was just human nature, but... "It's genius if it's true."

"Still all supposition," Clarus said.

"I'm going to mention that I got an offer from him to Drautos, just see what he says..."

"He could conceivably have an opinion, but you're right that it would be fairly odd. He hasn't said anything about the bracelet?" Clarus asked.

"He didn't mention it or the 'break up'," Iris said, and then she looked over to Cor and he could see she was struggling with something, those huge brown eyes looking upset and lost. He reached out, and she reached back and gave his hand a squeeze.

"What's wrong?"

"I think... ugh." She sighed, and looked down and then back up at him. "Don't you think we have a duty to see this play out?"

"Accept Keaton's suit?" Cor asked, feeling himself want to argue vociferously at the prospect, but at the same time he knew that Iris was hardly overcome with passion for the man. She was trying to engage in subterfuge. "It could be dangerous."

"You really think they'd hurt me?" Iris asked. "Cor, Drautos has been trying to rile me up for at least a week or two, maybe months, and killing me just means Gladio becomes the Shield and he's in Clarus's pocket."

"It's true," Clarus said, shaking his head even as he was clearly agreeing. "You'll have to stop seeing Cor."

Iris looked away, and Cor watched her frown. "I mean we're not..."

Clarus shook his head. "Absolutely not. Even if Keaton and Aldrich were prepared to overlook the infidelity, Cor is the very definition of a King's man. The game would be over before it started."

Cor watched as Iris seemed to come to terms with that, her face going through a variety of sour expressions before she finally looked up, eyes firm, and met her father's eyes. She nodded, just once. "Write that I accept. I... can Cor and I have a few minutes?"

Clarus nodded, and to Cor's surprise he stood up and left the office, leaving the two of them alone and Iris sat, hands clasped together, eyes downcast.

It was odd that that was the moment that Cor thought he cared for her more than he ever had before. It _hurt_ , even as he knew it was just for show. He wasn't certain he knew exactly how happy he was until the moment it was going to be taken away. Still he resolved to make this easier for Iris, and he met her gaze when she looked at him.

Perhaps he should have expected it, but Iris stood, came over to him, and poured everything into the kiss that followed, passion, sadness, need...

And Cor was absolutely certain he was in love.


	6. Chapter 6

Iris knew she was probably crying by the time she pulled away from Cor. She hated crying, it made her feel weak, but at the same time she couldn't help it. In a world where Cor had been a constant for months, even before they were together, the idea of cutting him out _hurt_.

"You know I still... that I..." She didn't know what to say, she knew she had to say something, she she also supposed that kissing him might have made her point clear.

Cor reached out and took her hand, and he squeezed it. "This is the right thing to do," he said, assured her really. "I understand, I know why you're doing it, and it makes me admire you all the more. So... before we do this... I need you to know that you're absolutely the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Iris closed her eyes and nodded, taking that into her heart and letting it sit, make it part of her and just feel... sad, but happy. "You've made everything... alright," she said, and then realized it sounded insensitive but then he reached out and touched her face and kissed her forehead and she knew he understood.

"There..." He paused for a moment, and held out his hand, drawing a short sword, almost a long knife, curved like his katana. "I can't give you jewelry or anything that someone would see, but keep this in your armory and look at it when you need that reminder."

She smiled, and then reached out. "What if you need it?"

"Then it will be there, we'll share it."

"Alright." Iris took it and held it in her hands, gently, and looked down and brought it into her heart the same way she had other weapons before, feeling it settle as a warmth in her chest. "I..." She stood and came over to him, pressed their lips together one more time, fingers tangled in his hair, just feeling the absolute bliss of another body and of soft lips. "I'm going to go back to the Citadel and... bye for now?"

He gave a soft smile, and nodded. "Farewell for now."

She stood and walked out the door, finding that her father was down the hall, waiting.

"Go ahead and send an acceptance. I'll... um... go on a date, whatever he asks." She took a deep breath, stealing herself, and nodded.

"I know it probably means little with how much time you've spent without me being a father to you, but I'm proud of you. Being a Shield is all about sacrificing the personal for the greater benefit of King and country. Hopefully you won't have to sacrifice too much."

She gave another nod. "Thanks. I... hopefully we can make this make sense. I hope it's nothing."

"I do too," he said. "But you're right that it smells." He reached out, and Iris actually folded into his arms. It was an odd thing, she had never really had a source of paternal comfort, and in all likelihood she would have to give it up again.

Iris headed back to the Citadel and tried to get into the frame of mind where she could pretend to be falling in love with someone who might love the empire.

She had to think about Cor, had to focus on the end goal.

The next day she wandered down to the Kingsglaive training yard and found the guys there, and she gave Nyx a slight smile, very glad she and Cor hadn't even told him yet... the fewer people knew the truth the better it was for everyone.

"You seemed vexed, Lady Iris," Drautos said voice soft and caring and it just set Iris on edge and she tried to relax, tried to push aside the idea that perhaps this man was a terrible person.

"I suppose I am," Iris answered. "I received... well an offer for courtship." She sighed. It felt very odd to confide in the man, they didn't have that sort of relationship but...

"Oh?"

"Lord... Keaton Aldrich, I really don't know anything about him. I think we met and danced a bit months ago." She shrugged, hopefully conveying something adequate, but she didn't really know.

"Ah, well.. I can't say I know him particularly well either," Drautos answered, which was a bit surprising but... "His father is on the Lord's Council, of course, he's a third son, so probably not much by way of inheritance, but that doesn't matter much, right?"

"Uh... yeah," Iris said. "I mean I've got that part covered, I guess?"

Drautos smiled genially. "Well he's seemed like a nice enough man the few times I've met with him, handsome as well."

"I remember," Iris said, finally adding a smile to it. "He was a few years older, that sort of thing. I guess it's nice, you know..." Iris was not particularly sure how much of her soul to bare, how much to say, how much to tip her hand.

"Oh?"

"Not a lot of people think I'm beautiful," she said. It was... real, a true insecurity she felt, one that she struggled with, and she almost regretted saying it as soon as she did but...

"It's really not my place to say," Drautos said. "You... are hardly unattractive, if people don't see it, their loss. So I take this to mean you're considering him?"

Iris gave another shrug. "I guess? He seems nice enough. Sure, why not."

Drautos looked towards her with a little smile. "Good."

Iris didn't know what to think, didn't know how to feel about it, so she just nodded. Perhaps Drautos was showing genuine interest, but now she couldn't help but triple guess everything around her. She didn't like it, but she would need to endure it. To her consternation, Drautos had nothing else to add over the next days to give her further insight into Lord Keaton Aldrich, and so it was that it took almost a week for her to actually meet the guy, in the form of a very casual dinner date.

The strange thing was that Keaton was actually... not terrible, in some world where she didn't already feel so attached to Cor he definitely was cute at least. He had darker hair, almost black, and hazel-green eyes, and a slightly softer face, but still kind. It made her a little annoyed to wonder if he might be in on some horribleness like his father but it was really hard to know for certain.

"Lady Iris, I... have to say I was honored when you agreed to consider me," he said, giving her a smile as he held her chair for her.

Iris sat down, carefully, still confused about the whole propriety of everything but... "Thank you, I suppose it was because you seemed to understand my... difficulties. It's so strange to me, not being from Insomnia."

"It must be."

Iris spent the next few hours trying her best to seem... interested, but not over-interested and just to make a decent impression. She had to admit it was an interesting change, she hadn't really been dating Cor properly, so the single-minded attention was compelling, but the fact that she couldn't quite shake the purpose of the courtship meant she couldn't have enjoyed it either way.

They didn't talk about much of particular interest, Keaton didn't mention political crap, or Noctis, mostly just talked about sports and things that weren't particularly interesting to her.

After their dinner, Keaton returned her to her Citadel apartment. "Not the Manor?"

"It's... complicated at home," Iris said. It was their pre-agreed little way of sowing seeds that suggested all was not well in the Amicitia house. "I guess it's just nice to have my own place where I don't really need to deal with all the expectations."

"Completely understandable," he answered. "I must say as a younger child there's less pressure, but I do understand the feeling. You needn't pressure yourself to conform and be something you're not."

"Thanks, Lord Keaton, that's nice to hear."

"Of course, Lady Iris." He bowed to her, and then headed off, and Iris went inside her apartment and considered what she might want to do. No one knew for certain the extent of the problem, or if there even was one.

She began with a quick note to her father. She'd found nothing to suggest anything untoward about Keaton, he seemed normal, boring even. It was strange really, and sadly it made her appreciate Cor all the more. Cor had his own little bits of boring but he was the sorts of boring she appreciated.

She then drew out Cor's wakizashi and looked down at it, noting the flowers, and after a quick moment of doubt she pulled out a piece of string and tied it around the hilt, and then made a little heart by tangling the two ends together and looping them back in on each other.

Iris sighed, it sucked.

The worst part, more than anything, she that Iris more and more got the impression that Keaton didn't know anything, or if he did he was an absolutely amazing liar.

She had to go a _month_ , six weeks, while barely getting to see Cor and really only training with Clarus.

"I just don't feel like I'm getting anywhere." She stretched, the two of them recovering from a fairly extended bout.

"We are," he promised her. "And I want you in place. Drautos?"

"Still... doing the same things. Him, maybe I should be dating him."

Clarus snorted. "I hope you are aware you're not expected to... engage with Keaton in a way that makes you uncomfortable."

Iris shook her head. "I know. It feels... so weird." She and Keaton had kissed, Iris had kissed men before, plenty of times, but it was the first time she'd felt so untrue doing it. That first time she'd flinched, almost wanted to slap Keaton for the presumption, but she knew there needed to be some level... kissing was fine, it just felt so wrong. "I miss him so much, Clarus... Dad."

When she looked up, Clarus was smiling, soft, and he held out an arm and Iris leaned into him. "I'll tell you a very interesting and completely unrelated story. When I was a young man... in my early twenties, I was serving as a Magistrate for a very, very crappy part of town. There was a young man, only thirteen years old, who had been brought in for a burglary, there was enough to prove he'd done it, and when I looked at his record he had dozens of prior convictions and nothing but slaps on the wrist from his usual Magistrate. I look one look and I said 'Leonis, the Magistrate is too soft on you' and was going to sentence him to juvenile detention."

"Wait... Cor?" Iris knew Cor came from a rougher background but...

"Yup, well, then the bailiff told me that he had a mother he was supporting. So I offered him the Crownsguard instead, he accepted in a heartbeat."

"That's so..." She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them to her. "That's so sweet."

"But that's why I knew, as much as it terrifies me a little bit, that I could trust him to be a good man, and... look after you, even though you don't need looking after. No Amicitia needs it, but that doesn't mean it can't be nice once in a while." He reached up and placed his fingers against her hair, and Iris felt weirdly... like she had a dad.

"I think this is the first time it's felt like you're my dad."

"Oh? Being gruff and disappointing doesn't do it for you?"

"That's not what I need, I guess. I've always had people to push me, to demand I get better, Galahd itself did that. What I missed was... someone to care about Iris."

"Believe it or not, I want you to be happy. You might not get to be as often as a father would like his daughter to be happy. I always knew Gladio was fated for a hard life, and that life has gone to you instead... but I want you to find whatever joy you can in it. When Regis was told about Noctis's fate, all he wanted was for his son to be a boy for as long as possible. I want the same for you."

Iris nodded. "Thanks. I... it just sucks right now, kissing some guy I don't love who might be a traitorous snake. Cor's alright, right?"

"He is an impossible grump on the best of days," Clarus answered. "And he's in a very odd position. He's one of my dearest friends, and yet I don't think he feels as though he could say to me how much he misses you. Instead he just growls at everyone... it would be sweet, I suppose, if it didn't terrorize most of the newer recruits. I think you've come to know him well enough to know how deathly serious he is about duty, but duty is no comfort most times..."

"It's not," Iris answered. She felt that every day, she knew she was doing what was needed she knew... "Just tell me things are... just tell me this won't be for nothing."

"I... don't want to say details," he said. "Not because I don't trust you, but because the less you know and the cleaner your hands are, the easier your part is to play. It's worth it. Trust in that."

"Alright." That was all she needed, that could hold her another handful of weeks or months with that assurance. "Tell him to stop grumping... or... Six I miss him. It feels so pathetic."

"Of course not, it's easy to feel that way. I've fallen in love enough times to know how wonderful and terrifying it is."

"No one said anything about love," she protested, because... gods, she... she bowed her head into her knees and closed her eyes. "Fine, yeah, that."

"You don't have to sound so grudging," Clarus said.

"Tell him... I'm thinking about him."

"I will."

"I don't want him to forget about me..."

"He won't." Clarus chuckled. "Now, go off and be grumpy with the Kingsglaive. I'll tell Cor you miss him."

"Thanks." She stood, and stretched, and then nodded, steeling herself a bit, trying to get into that irritated mood. Iris tried to have a tone to suggest she and Clarus rarely saw eye to eye. "At least you could disapprove of my boyfriend."

"I do," Clarus answered. "You're being courted by the son of one of my political rivals, of course I don't like that." He winked, and Iris smiled in response.

"Ugh." She glowered at him, and then left.

Drautos, ever the opportunist, continued to sow the seeds of discontent, or at least he would have. There was no doubt in her mind that the man was a viper, but she could hardly prove it with facts, just the sickening feeling in her gut that she couldn't truly vent to anyone.

*

Cor sat in Clarus's office, pouring over the dozens of scraps of intelligence that they had gathered over the last weeks. It seemed at this point incontrovertible that Lord Aldrich was receiving frequent influxes of money from Niflheim, Drautos's money was less obvious to track, and more difficult to do without completely tipping their hand and demanding First Insomnian financial information directly.

Proof that Drautos was sending and receiving some sort of communication regularly was stacking up. It was encrypted, and they had dozens of hours of communication recorded, but Clarus had been firm on the fact that they couldn't leave that just sitting around and Crownsguard HQ, and so Monica was on 'extended personal leave', which was being used to spend time at the University to utilize their supercomputers rather than the Crownsguard ones.

Luche Lazarus was still a huge question mark, Cor was unprepared to declare him guilty by association, but at the same time there was a strong possibility that the man was planted with Drautos. Regardless, his tenure within the Kingsglaive would be terminated in due course. He might escape actual termination if no proof was found.

Audio bugs throughout the Kingsglaive areas were... borderline, but technically legal in the non office spaces. Cor made a quick check only to find Iris and Drautos was talking, Iris complaining about her father and Drautos being far too sympathetic and obvious in his desire to drive a wedge.

Cor hated to hear it, even if he knew it was a front, and he pulled the headphones off and frowned even more.

Clarus entered soon after that, clearly back from a shower after training, he eased into his chair and sighed.

"Good training?"

He nodded. "She's giving me a run for my money already, either I'm getting old or she's getting better."

Cor ignored the slightly obvious jab he could have made, and just smiled.

"You were right to tell me not to worry about the level she was at. She's more than made up for a good bit of the lost time..." Clarus shook his head. "I'd like to be training with her more, but it's not really in the cards for the way our little narrative is being spun."

"Iris is complaining about you to Drautos right now."

"Is she?" Clarus picked up the headset and listened. "Ah..." Clarus smiled, sitting, listening, and Cor felt himself sour more. "I wish he'd just say something treasonous so I could do something." He pulled off the headphones again and sighed.

"Fuck this whole thing," Cor said, shoving aside another bit of paper and scrubbing his fingers through his hair. "I'm going to enjoy it when we put these men in the ground."

Clarus nodded, as morbid and violent as it was, he couldn't deny he was with Cor on this, but although they were fairly certain about two men, the rest was still being uncovered. Keaton's complicity needed to be judged, as well as the older Aldrich boys, several Kingsglaive, and one or two other Lords. They couldn't just pull the trigger yet.

"Well, I've been instructed to tell you Iris is thinking of you," Clarus said, causing Cor to startle for just a moment. "What? I do talk to her."

"I more... figured you wouldn't be particularly thrilled by the relationship, much less..."

"Cor, do you honestly think I don't approve?"

He had to admit he hadn't given it much thought, not really, it had only been a few weeks of bliss before it was taken away by this damn charade. Clarus rarely mentioned her, and Cor had generally taken it as his disapproval, or at least his lack of a firm approval. He was thirteen years older than Iris, he didn't really think that was something that Clarus would... "She's your daughter."

"Which means I want her to be happy," Clarus answered. "Hells, I want _you_ to be happy. No matter how much you resist it you know you'll always be a mouthy kid in my memory."

Cor groaned. Clarus didn't often lord it over him, but he was ten years older, enough that he'd been an adult when Cor was still a young teen. "Clarus..."

"So, there it is: my daughter misses you and worries you'll forget her, so as her dutiful father I'm passing along her regards."

That gave him a little smile. "Someday this will be finished and I can actually take her on a damn date."

"Good. I don't want to particularly consider the details, but I do want you two to make each other happy."

They would manage, somehow, it would take far too long, and Cor would be far too grumpy throughout it, but someday he'd actually be able to take Iris out, to show her how much he did care for her. Just thinking about her left him glad, and warm, and the reminder that she did think about him, even now, was enough to lift his spirits just a bit.

"Not like that's happening any time soon at this rate," he growled down at the intelligence. He _wanted_ to rip some of these people in half, but tracing the webs out of Insomnia meant finding all of the little nexuses of traitors and it was tedious work that couldn't be done in hours or even days.

The whole thing had taken a toll on Regis as well, and the man was taking his son on a long vacation to one of the more pastoral areas of Cavaugh with a little fishing pond, and Cor couldn't say he disagreed. It was nice to have that time, Cor was just worried about security, and the four cars of Crownsguard somehow felt not enough.

"I don't like it," Cor said, finally. "There's too much chatter we don't understand."

"It's also picked up of late, in and out," Clarus agreed. "Cor, you're not the only one eager to get someone on the end of a sword, we just have to be patient, not overplay our hands."

"I know," he answered, he did know, that didn't make it easy to sit through this, to know that Iris was with a guy she didn't care for, and that there were at least a handful of people, probably more, plotting the downfall of their kingdom and it just rankled.

He spent the rest of the day going over dozens of things that didn't lead anywhere new, and then he headed home and cooked himself a steak, because if he was going to be annoyed at the world he was at least going to have bloody meat while doing it.

The call came in at two in the morning: Regis and Noctis's caravan had been attacked, three quarters of the escorting Crownsguard dead, the rest wounded, Noctis in surgery at the local hospital. When he arrived at the hospital itself he found Regis in a room getting a wound stitched, clinging to Clarus's hand like a lifeline, while Iris stood several feet off, unshed tears in her eyes.

Iris came up to him. "It was a daemon, a Marilith, the King managed to force it out into the Lucinia Sound, but it's not dead. Clarus says we have no idea how she got through the Wall."

"Six," Cor said. "Mariliths are huge. Regis is alright?"

"Only a scratch by comparison. The only reason Noct wasn't cut in half was because Hortis was between him and the Marilith. Her body covered him enough to avoid more attention... but the spinal column was partially severed, they're trying to fix that now... while they keep him alive."

Cor really didn't have anything to say to that. Iris's voice wavered as she spoke, and Cor knew he could say nothing to make it better. It wasn't even appropriate for him to hug her, so he stood by her.

"Iris?" Regis asked, and Iris was at his side in an instant.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Would you go to my son? Even of he doesn't know you are there, you'll grant him strength."

She gave a bow, and sped off, Cor remained at Regis's side. The doctor finished with the suture and then headed off. "Do we know anything?"

"No," Cor answered. "There was some chatter but nothing to say this could happen."

The truth was they still didn't know what the hell was going on. "And... Clarus... I have to ask: you're certain of Iris?"

"Yes," Clarus answered. "Without question."

Cor bristled at the idea Iris's loyalty was in question, but Cor also knew that the full details of the operation were being held from Regis to keep him able to act his part without doubt. He supposed that even though it was possible to suppose Iris was engaged in espionage, it did look a bit troubling on the surface.

"Very few people knew about Noct and my vacation plans."

"To be fair, many of those were Crownsguard," Cor answered, shaking his head. "We may have additional leaks that we aren't tracking."

"I swept my office twice," Clarus said. "Cor swept his, it's not coming from us."

Regis nodded. "I'm sorry, I just can't be of much a... I can't..." That was about the moment that Regis broke down, the weight of the moment finally crashing down on him, head bowed, and he began to sob, wet and anguished. "He's _eight_."

Cor came up and placed a hand on his King's shoulder, squeezing firmly, and Clarus did the same, finally pulling Regis in for a hug. The three of them stayed like that for quite some time while Regis pulled himself together, and Cor left Clarus with him to go check on Noct.

He found Iris outside of the surgical suite, her head bowed, waiting.

"Any word?" he asked, joining her on the bench.

She shook her head. "They're still at it. I think he's more stable now, they've dealt with the blood loss mostly, fixed the bleeding... I don't know if I can look Keaton in the eye right now, Cor..."

A tiny, jealous part of himself was slightly glad, but he also knew that would potentially hurt her ability to be considered a good mark. "You might be able to say it's inappropriate for you to be seen out and cheerful given the current news?"

Iris considered for a moment. "That might work... I know I need to..." She bowed her head, putting her head between her knees for a moment and inhaling deeply.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "It's not that I can feel it or something, not like a pain in my body, but it's there aching."

Improper or not, he reached out and touched her shoulder, lending her all the strength he could. "Push through it," Cor said, although he knew that was insensitive at best, he left his hand at her back and rubbed just for a moment before he pulled away. "You're strong."

A deep breath followed, and she straightened again. "Thanks." She glanced at him, and Cor saw her cheeks flush just a bit and she gave him a weak smile. He answered with his own smile. "I miss you," she said, voice barely a whisper, before she looked back towards the surgery suite and returned to her waiting.

Cor stayed beside her, waiting. It took another hour or so for the surgeons to finish with Noct, he would need further healing from an Oracle if he was to recover, but for now he would need to wake... something they couldn't guarantee. Eventually, Regis returned, his wound dressed, his clothing making him presentable again, and Iris gave him a quick report.

It took several days for Noctis to be stable, and the boy was finally taken home to be tended by people there, locked in a coma the doctors were mystified to explain.

No one had heard of anything like it, but Iris sat at Noctis's side throughout the day, and through many nights. It was one such night when Clarus came to his office and said: "I don't care how you do it, but she needs to sleep."

Cor found her at Noct's bedside, holding his hand, and it was only after a great deal of cajoling that he got her to curl up with him in a comfortable chair, Iris on his lap, close enough so that she could hold her Prince's hand, her other hand twined with his, fingers knitted together.

"Sleep," he told her, his free hand brushing away the hair from her face. "I will be here to wake you if he needs you."

Iris nodded into his chest, and her breathing leveled off so quickly he thought she had dropped off in almost an instant.

"I love you," he said, words muffled in her hair.

"Me too," she answered back, only to yawn and curl into him tighter. Cor tugged her close, his hand skating up and down her back, holding her, safe in the knowledge that all but the King and Clarus were forbidden from entering and at least in this moment - however imperfect - he could comfort Iris as she tried to be strong for Noct.

*

Regis hadn't slept well in almost two weeks, and it didn't help that there was nothing he could do to help his son get better faster... if at all... It didn't help that after almost six years of being a widower that much of the Lord's Council was now making noises to suggest he really did need to consider a new wife... provide another child...

He _had_ a child, and although he knew Aulea would have been more than happy for him to move on, he had no interest in it, least of all while is son still drew breath.

After a long day of fighting that argument, he returned to his son's chamber where he slept in his unending coma. An overstuffed chair had been pulled to the bedside, no doubt Iris's perch. As much as he had been kind to her, there was a small part of him that wondered if her relationship with Keaton was a front, or the beginnings of a fissure between Clarus and his daughter that the man was too blind to see.

When he rounded the corner, however, he saw not _just_ Iris, but his very own Marshal of the Crownsguard curled up, eyes closed, arm draped around his son's Shield's body. Iris was there as well, body resting against his while her hand reached out to hold Noct's.

Well that was... interesting.

He cleared his throat, and he saw Cor blink and glance over towards him. "Regis... you should be sleeping."

Regis gave him a well worn look to tell the man to mind his own business, but then again... "I'm not certain you noticed, but you have a young woman on your lap."

He snorted, and then reached up to touch at the girl's face, brushing aside the strands of hair. "I noticed."

"Has Clarus?"

The man nodded, lightly, brushing his nose against the crown of Iris's head. "We were... put on hold."

Regis had honestly had no idea, and it made it far more clear why Clarus was inclined to trust his daughter's loyalties if she was in a relationship with Cor. A few moments and Regis was at his son's bedside, sitting there, hand brushing against his brow and looking down at the feverish, comatose form.

A moment later, Iris yawned, stretching sinuously and nuzzling into Cor's chest, causing Regis to arch an eyebrow and Cor to blush furiously as he reached out to keep Iris from continuing her stretch and the girl blinked, saw Regis and scrambled off of Cor's lap a moment later. "Your Majesty."

He held out a hand and waved her down, which just caused her to return to her perch on Cor's lap and then reach out for Noct again.

"How long was I asleep?"

"About three hours," Cor answered, and then brushed a hand along her face. "Get more sleep."

Instead Iris slid off of his lap again and onto the bed, looking down at Noct for a moment, Regis watched her reach out and touch his brow, and then took a compress to his brow, dabbing the sweat. Part of him wished he'd seen her here before, he couldn't have imagined her as a viper otherwise, but seeing her with Cor... and with Noctis... put his heart at ease.

"How long has this been going on?" he asked Cor, pushing aside his grief for a moment to be at least a little happy for his friend.

"Three months," Cor answered. "Although... Clarus forbid us from seeing each other while she's... seeing Keaton."

Iris snorted, but then she turned back to Noct, frowning, and then touching his face and then resting her fingers atop his lip. "Noct?"

A very faint groan answered, and Regis gasped, fumbling forward, and then his son's eyes squeezed closed tighter and then began to flutter open. "... D...ad?"

He gasped, and he didn't hear much, just Iris turning around and saying something to Cor, and then the Marshal stood and headed off, likely to fetch a doctor. Regis wanted to cling to his son, wanted to hold him and never let go, but he didn't want to yank him too much, instead bending over and pressing a warm kiss to his forehead.

"It's alright," he said, brushing his hand there. "Sit tight."

"I can't feel--"

Iris reached out and touched his shoulder. "Just relax."

"You were there," Noct said, looking to Iris and then reaching up to touch her face. "I got to the Citadel, and then there was a huge monster armor and I was old and... you were there... my Shield."

"That's my job, to be your strength," Iris answered. "We need to get your healed up more, but now that you're awake it can get started. I'll be with you as long as you need."

Noct turned to Regis after that, reaching up for him, demanding a hug, and Regis easily complied, brushing his lips to his son's forehead and just holding onto him. "Son, I'm so glad you're alright."

"Miss Hortis?" he asked.

Regis didn't know what to say, so he just shook his head, and Noct's face screwed up tight and a few tears leaked out.

It was a flurry after that, doctors and nurses, and Iris eventually left Regis to spend more time with his son. With a promise that she would be back tomorrow, she wished Noct farewell, and it was strange when the very next day he saw Iris on Lord Keaton's arm, smiling and laughing, and he had to admit... he was glad she was on their side.

*

Keaton, much to Iris's consternation, seemed genuinely concerned about Noct's injury. She felt more and more that Keaton was either an incredibly cold and calculating or genuinely concerned about the state of the kingdom. Perhaps her father and Cor had uncovered more, but she just didn't know.

Drautos, by comparison, was using the fact that the Crownsguard had failed to protect the Prince properly to suggest that the Kingsglaive should be used for the Prince's personal security. Her father didn't even need to play act his disapproval of that idea.

Iris advocated it, just a bit, but there was sufficient push back in the Lord's Council that it wasn't going to go anywhere, and there were only a few weeks of time where Noct was recovering enough to prepare for a longer journey to Tenebrae.

The trip itself was largely secret, although Iris supposed everyone knew it would need to happen eventually. Iris had requested, quite strongly, that she be allowed to go to Tenebrae with Noct to look after him, and Regis had just as strongly denied her.

"If you leave, Lord Keaton and Captain Drautos will both know," he answered. "And that, more than anything, will tip our hand and open up the expedition to disaster."

Iris hated that she had to agree, so it was that a very quiet and not broadcast expedition of only Regis and Noctis set out to Tenebrae to receive healing.

Regis had been gone only two days, and Iris and Clarus were having their usual training session. As much as it was hard to push through the concern for Noct, Iris still felt she was getting to a point where she was... good. She'd trained with Nyx a lot too, felt as though she had started to understand the way a Glaive moved.

"How do you stand it?"

"Hmm?"

"Being so far away and feeling so helpless to help."

Her father chuckled. "I've had a lot longer to trust in Regis, when you know someone's strengths and limitations as well as your own it becomes second nature, you... you can't just guard Noct, you can't _just_ protect him, there are also moments where he needs to stand tall and--"

The door slammed open, and Clarus and Iris were set for a fight in a flash, only to reveal Cor and Monica at the door, Monica's eyes wide, Cor's face concerned.

Monica broke the moment of silence: "We decrypted the communications that have been coming in to Drautos. Captain Drautos is General Glauca, the commander of the Niflheim Magitek Infantry on the field. That's why the field has been quiet the last year or so. The Empire knows the King is in Tenebrae and a battalion of Infantry are on their way to Tenebrae for for General Glauca's personal command."

" _Glauca_?!" Iris had never faced him on the field, but she knew more than a few resistance fighters in Galahd had fallen at his hand... "Noct and the King are in danger. We need to move."

"The number of people we know we can trust is small," Clarus answered.

"Nyx, Libertus," Iris said. "I'm calling them." No one protested and so Iris pulled out her phone and hit the button for Nyx.

"Monica," Clarus ordered. "You take Dustin and you get everyone who needs it arrested. We'll sort it out when we get back. Cor, get us transport."

Cor was gone in an instant, and it was less than a half hour for them to get the handful of soldiers they could trust assembled.

"How long will this take?" Iris asked as the five of them piled into the transport.

"About four hours," Cor said. "If the Infantry has already left Gralea they'll be there in under two... depending on how much warning Monica got us we might meet them on the field or be an hour or two late."

"Don't focus on that," her father said, hand on her shoulder. "We'll be there. Nyx says Drautos was seen two hours ago"

Iris had never prayed so hard in her life, she entreated the Six, she begged, she wasn't even that religious but she fucking begged.

"You're telling me Captain Drautos has been working with the Niffs for months, maybe years, and no one thought to--" Nyx growled, and Iris came over to him.

"Stow it, a lot of smart people got conned. Right now focus on the mission: save the King and the Prince, and kill that son of a bitch."

Iris took a long breath, and then another, watching the land blaze past, and then turn into water. When they were moving over the water, Cor reached out and touched her hand, and Iris moved to stand just next to him, hand at his shoulder.

"How are you so calm?" she asked.

"I'm not," Cor answered. "I'm just better at not showing it. Stay focused and it will be fine."

They arrived almost to greet the darkened skies caused by the Magitek Infantry ships.

"I'll find the King," Clarus said. "Iris, find the Prince, Cor, Libertus, Nyx, you engage the Infantry on the ground and keep our landing site secure. If you see the Oracle, the Prince, or the Princess you secure them. If Niflheim is prepared to violate their agreement with Tenebrae to leave the Manor untouched, there's no telling what they are prepared to do."

Iris didn't know how to find Noct, not exactly, she'd never been to Tenebrae, but she scrambled along unfamiliar paths, fueled by the unshakable need to find Noct and save him.

Her instincts led her along various paths, finally ending up in a huge stand of trees so tall she couldn't even imagine where their tops ended.

"Iris!"

She turned, Noct was there, in a wheelchair, with a young girl of maybe sixteen or so. "We have to go," she said, and then she squatted, Noct reaching out to her neck and he clung to her. "It's alright. And you..."

"Luna, Lady Iris."

"Come with me," Iris said, forget station, that girl was coming with her.

"What's going on?" Noct asked, voice scared and small.

"Niffs," Iris answered in a word. "We need to get you out of here."

"His healing is incomplete."

"His healing is gonna never be complete if he just sticks around," Iris snapped. "Come on."

The two of them ran while Iris held Noct and her Prince clung to her, and she finally skated to a stop in the open area near their shuttle as a huge sword crashed down barely a foot in front of her, and the Magitek General, Glauca landed a moment later.

"Shit. Shit shit shit." Iris scrambled, backpedaled, and drew her sword one handed as she held Noct. "Hold tight," she told Noct.

"Don't die," he said. "Please, please not like Miss Hortis."

"You hold tight," Iris said. "I promise, just hold tight." She concentrated, drawing out the shield that was part of her arsenal, and she had Noct hold it tight against her back, leaving her a bit like a turtle. "You're my Shield now. I trust you."

Iris fought, she tried, but with almost a hundred extra pounds between Noct and the shield and her sword it was a losing fight of endurance from the start. Ten minutes felt like an eternity, but she held her line, using Noct's shield arm as her shield, as tenuous as the prospect was.

Glauca backhanded her, hard, and send her sprawling atop Noct.

"No...," he whimpered.

"Crawl," Iris said, teeth gritted. "Go, crawl, do it."

He reached up to her, tiny hands touching her cheeks. "You're my Shield," he said, and Iris felt a warmth she never had before, it was like when the King had unlocked her Arsenal, and yet it was so, so much more than that.

"And I'm also your Glaive," Iris answered. "Now go."

Iris scrambled up, covering Noct's retreat, very, very glad for that moment that Glauca was a sadistic bitch who clearly wanted to see her eyes as she died.

"How sweet," he said. Voice hard and synthetic, no similarities to Drautos's voice other than that taunt. "And now you will die for your Prince, are you prepared for that?"

"Yes," she said. "I am."

His next blow didn't come, a dozen swords crashing into him from behind Iris, Regis's hand held outstretched, and Glauca was pinned to a distant tree.

"We have to leave," Regis said, and Iris waved him off. An instant later, Cor's wakizashi was in her hand and she flung it, hard, piercing right into Drautos's magitek armor chest, and in an instant she was at the man, clinging to that dagger, and she grabbed at his throat.

"Fucking burn," she hissed, the unfamiliar presence of elemancy in her blood making her body feel alive. It took several seconds before the metal of the armor finally succumbed to the flame in her hands and it started to flare and melt, Iris pushed down the pain of it and kept shoving that flame there, until that metal voice started to scream, scream and scream and scream and the flesh her hand hit began to blister.

She grabbed Cor's blade again and flung it behind her to the ground landing with a hard thud and taking only a few moments to dry heave before she grabbed the sword and ran, arriving at the transport just as Cor was finished their prep for takeoff.

Iris saw that girl, Luna, and a boy that looked a bit like her.

"But mother," the boy argued with Luna.

"She said to go," Luna answered. "She is safe so long as _we_ are safe. They will not kill her if they cannot control us."

"But they cannot control her, either!"

Luna came up to her, ignoring the boy, and reached out to Iris, and Iris gave the girl her hand, the skin bubbly and incredibly painful. "Let me help."

Iris nodded, wincing as the burn bubbled further, and eventually her father sat down beside her, hand out, and Iris took it and squeezed. "What happened?" she asked, gratified when her father pulled out a softer plastic piece to put between her teeth as she gritted and bit down.

"We found the Queen and her son, Lord Ravus, quickly enough. Her Majesty was almost killed by an MT, but Nyx was able to interject. She asked that we take her children away... so that was agreed. You found Noct, obviously, and Lady Luna, and got them back to the transport. Luna said you fought gallantly."

"Sp-spod-ry," she answer.

Her father snorted.

"It was quite gallant, Lady Iris," Luna assured her.

"I have some concerns over Glauca's death..." Clarus said, voice soft. "However you are right that it needed to be done. What I want to know is how you were warping."

Iris tilted her head towards Noct. "I don't know," Noct answered. "I just..." He held out his hands, showing the palms. "I knew she needed my help... and... I gave her something."

"The Crystal does allow for such a transfer," Regis said, taking a deep breath and looking over to Iris. "I can only assume Noct did so on instinct in a time of need. Thank you for saving my son."

Iris closed her eyes and nodded. It was nothing, not really... but she was glad to know it had earned her that measure of respect.

"But how on Eos did you know what was happening?" Regis asked.

Iris was finally allowed to stop focusing in the words around her; Cor and her father would explain the last months, Drautos's traitorous nature, the final breakthrough on the communications, Monica back in Insomnia conducting a firm and directed string of arrests. That was about the time a lack of sleep, and the unconscionable amount of pain from her hand finally started to take it's toll.

"You did well," Clarus said beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder. "Now rest. I will look after them both for you." He pulled her close, and Iris felt her head come to rest at his shoulder, and then his hand touched her back and rubbed gently.

"Thanks... Dad."

Iris finally passed out, or fell asleep, or some mix of the two, and she woke up some time later in a comfortable bed wrapped in warm covers with an unshaven Cor sleeping uncomfortably in a chair beside her bed.

She smiled over to him, and the way the sun made his hair a bit lighter, and made the furrows at his brow more pronounced. Her hand was bandaged, but seemed able enough to flex, so she reached out to him, touching his knee, and he woke with a start, eyes catching hers.

"Hey," she said.

"Go kill an Imperial General on your own and you wake up and all you have to say to me is: 'hey'," he said, voice grumpy but his lips held a smile.

"Hey, good looking?"

He snorted. "Get cleaned up, Noct wants to see you." He then stood and leaned over the bed, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead and then brushing his nose there. "It's been an interesting day."

Cor left her largely to her own devices, and Iris spent almost an hour wondering what an 'interesting day' was, finally clean and dressed, she headed out towards the Royal gardens to see what the day had brought.

She was most surprised to see that Lord Keaton was there, and even though Noct waved to her from her chair, it was Keaton who came up to her. "Lady Iris." He bowed. "It seems... that we owe each other a pair of apologies. I offered my suit at my father's urging, and that urging was meant to subvert you to his treasonous cause."

"I was... spying on you," Iris answered with a little smile. "You seemed... nice, though."

"And if it were that simple I would offer again, perhaps in earnest, but I have found myself in the position as... a Lord of Lucis, my elder brothers were quite complicit."

Iris gaped, unladylike, but she did it. "Well, someone once told me to not let the burdens of being first born get to me. I hope to fight you in the Council for many years to come."

"I appreciate the offer, Lady Iris. I cannot claim grand and passionate patriotism, but I hold no love for Niflheim and that my father would sell out our King and Prince disgusts me. Perhaps when you are mended we could have a lunch together, as friends?"

"I'd like that," she answered. An awkward moment passed and then she held out her left hand to avoid presenting the bandaged right. Keaton shook it, and bowed.

"A pleasure."

Cor was sitting near Noct when Iris arrived, looking sour, and Iris just giggled and put a hand to his face. "Stop looking so grumpy. He's a nice guy." He didn't stop frowning until she leaned in and brushed a kiss to his lips. "Stop."

That won a smile, and another soft peck, but Iris broke away to sit next to Noct and hug her Prince close. "Hey there, young man," she said. "Looking good."

It was sunny and warm, and Iris's heart was lightened and there was nothing that made her happier than knowing that for a moment the world was good.

*

Cor took a long breath, leaning back, glancing over to where Iris was holding Noct's shoulder and letting him hug her close.

"So how are you feeling?" she asked Noct, leaning in and using her good hand to run her fingers through his messy hair.

"Alright... Luna and Ravus are settling in," Noct said. "I can wiggle my toes..."

"That's good. We'll get you well again as soon as can be."

A sleepy Prince then curled up on her lap and fell into a nap, and Cor smiled down at his Prince, and then at Iris. "As Lord Keaton probably said: Aldrich and his two older sons were involved in treason, another Lord Orric was similarly implicated although he seemed to be alone and his daughter will be placed on the Lord's Council, Lazarus and Drautos both were quickly proven guilty after Monica dug into the financials, as were more than a handful of Crownsguard. There are a few more people who were only referred to by code names, but Monica is certain we can find many of them in the next weeks if they don't take the opportunity to get out of town... the smart ones will. Nyx will be acting as the commander for the Kingsglaive until someone else is confirmed... although in all likelihood he'll be made Captain."

"Wow... that is quite a day," she said. Cor watched as she touched Noct's hair. "I'm glad he's safe."

"I know," Cor answered, and then he reached out to touch her hair, fingers threading through the strands and watching as she tilted her head to follow.

She straightened, and then held out her bandaged hand. "It looks like it'll scar..."

"That's what Lady Lunafreya said," Cor answered.

He watched the slight disappointment flicker across her features.

"What?" he probed, knowing exactly what she was thinking but hoping she would at least say it so he could tell her how ridiculous she was being for thinking it.

"Just remembering Lady Jasmine saying that even a Shield shouldn't look like a coeurl's chew toy by her majority," Iris said, voice small.

Cor sighed and moved so he could go beside her, taking her hands in his and holding on. "You're beautiful. I was already in love with you, do you really think one more scar is going to change that?"

She smiled. 

"Good." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Don't be ridiculous. Is your sword arm still strong?"

She gave his hand a squeeze with her own, a bit weak, but not enough to be worrisome. "Thanks."

"Now, the King would like his Royal Sleepiness to join him and the Tenebrae royals after you're up and feeling alright. We have a lot of organizing to do." Cor stood, and Iris followed, the two of them taking pains to sling Noct over Iris's shoulders and have her carry him like that. "And screw the sting, when you're feeling better I'm taking you on a date, a proper one."

She chuckled. "I look forward to that." Afterward she reached out and took Cor's hand, the two of them walking like that to the royal suites. Ravus was still annoyed - to say the very least - that he had been sent to live in Lucis with about two moments' notice, although Lunafreya seemed to have taken the change well enough.

Iris settled the boy down with Regis where he was talking to the two Tenebrae royals, and then Cor, Clarus, and Iris made their way back to Clarus's office, and then the three of them sat, looking at each other a good bit, before finally settling into work. Monica joined them an hour or so later.

"Everyone will have to be vetted," Monica said. "Background checks, financials, the works. Now that I know what to look for it should be fairly straight forward and Lord Keaton has promised Insomnian National's support in any investigation."

"Good, will you be able to spearhead that?" Clarus asked. "I can assign you more people, but..."

"I'll handle it," Monica promised. "Well... Dustin and I will. Really him and the people in this room are the only ones I completely trust right now. It's going to take a long time, I don't think we really considered how thoroughly the Lord's Council, the Crownsguard, and the Kingsglaive could be subverted."

That handled, the lion's share of the work for the day, and Iris stretched, yawning, and Cor tried not to notice the way Iris's muscles moved and... Clarus snapped his fingers and Cor startled, gaze darting over to his boss and realized he was checking out Clarus's daughter in front of Clarus. "Why don't the two of you take the day off?"

"Clarus, there's so much to do," Iris protested immediately. "You can't just--"

"Out of my office," he said. "Go somewhere nice."

"But--"

"Shoo." He waved a hand. "You saved your Prince's life, and the Prince and Princess of another country, you get a day off."

Iris gave him a faint glower, but stood after that. "I'm going to go to my apartment and change. Half hour?"

Cor looked down at his clothes, he was in his usual--

And then Iris leaned against his back, hands running against his chest. "Just lose the jacket," she whispered, woefully loud enough for Clarus to hear, and then she left both of the men to pink as she walked out of the office and shut the door.

"I'm going to... go...," Cor said, standing, and looking at Clarus, trying to decide how the hell he was supposed to look the man in the eye.

"Have a nice date, Cor."

Cor nodded, and fled, retreating to his office and he hung up his jacket there, scrubbed his fingers through his hair, and then panicked at the idea of actually having to make a date. He found himself at the door to Iris's apartment after that, and she was wearing a black dress with a tantalizing amount of leg and bare shoulders kissed just by the ends of her dark hair. 

"Hey, Marshal," she said, hooking her arms through his, and the two of them headed out into the afternoon.

"So... I know you prefer Galahdian..."

"I can eat other food," she said, nudging him with her shoulder. "Just... a little spicy."

They ended up at an Altissian restaurant, the two of them wedged together in a small booth, a bottle of wine, Iris trying a spicy sausage pasta dish, Cor with lasagna, and his hands absolutely incapable of staying off of her for more than a minute. The feeling seemed to be contagious, Iris answering by sliding a hand against his shoulders or down his back, her fingers touching his hair.

It should have been embarrassing, spending time with someone in public where he was tangled up with a woman and... Six he just would do anything to keep Iris beside him. He even allowed himself to be fed a bit of pasta on her fork, and responded in kind, before she leaned up and nuzzled his ear and smiled into his throat.

"I'm so glad that crap with Keaton is over," she said. "Even if he was a good guy in the end... I missed you so damn much."

"I missed you," he answered, and then he slung his arm over her shoulder and tugged her in. "Iris, I..." He didn't know how to say exactly what he needed to, but he wasn't going to let the moment slip away without saying anything. "You are incredible, beautiful... strong..."

She glanced over at him, and then smiled, bright and happy and warm, and then she leaned into him, her nose brushing against his chest, nuzzling. He got the impression she was a bit embarrassed, hiding her face a bit, so he just held her.

"I know that Insomnia will never replace Galahd in your heart, but I hope it will become... your second home, and be somewhere that your heart might be happy."

Cor heard a little snort, soft, and then Iris looked up at him, huge brown eyes lidded with dark lashes and a soft little smile. "I'm happy. It's not home, but it has so many of the people who cared about me there... and a few new ones. It's so strange, really... being happy."

"No?" he asked, and when she leaned back he put a hand at her cheek.

"No. It... fighting for your life and for your freedom doesn't really leave you much time to just be a person. Whenever I would... think I found happiness it just always... wasn't. Maybe it's because now I have a fathe--"

"Absolutely not," Cor cut her off, because he wouldn't let her think that. "Iris, I wanted you to come back to Insomnia when you were just a cheeky woman who was extorting me for more help with the Resistance. From the moment I saw you, you were... perfect."

"Come on..."

He reached out and touched her cheek, the one that held the long striped scars. "Protective, with amazing reflexes, strong, no nonsense." He reached down to her hand, the unbandaged one, and he tilted it to show the scar he knew she had there from when her last cell was wiped out. "A survivor with good instincts... and if you'll allow me a touch of shallowness, you have a gorgeous body."

"Not so bad yourself..." she answered with a flush.

"So yes, really. Do you find it so hard to believe that I was already falling for your months ago?"

"I guess not when you say it like that." She pulled away, and looked down at her food. "I... had already decided to come back with you early on, I just... like fighting alongside you."

Cor could think of far worse reasons to spend with someone else, and after that he tugged her close and they went back to their dinner, trading little pleasantries and touches.

"So... _someone_ may have mentioned you used to be quite the delinquent."

Cor groaned. "I'm going to kill Clarus."

"It's sweet, nice to know you had a slightly misspent youth. I'm glad he likes you..."

"If he liked me he wouldn't be telling you I have a misspent youth," Cor grumbled, but he had to admit he did know that he and Iris would eventually learn every facet of each other. It was only fair she would know him and he her.

Dinner finally finished, the two of them walked along the streets of Insomnia, Iris curled against him, arm looped through his, and she held on. They took a brief stroll through one of the nearby parks, and they kissed under a shade tree during the setting sun.

"I should take you home," he said, finally, reluctantly.

She shook her head. "No, you should take me home."

"That's what I--" 

She tugged him down, lips on his again, and Cor realized exactly what Iris meant, any lack of clarity was lost when Iris reached down to run her free hand against his stomach, and then lower. He snagged the wayward hand, and pulled back just enough to whisper in her ear: "I'd love to."

*

Iris fumbled with the latch of her Citadel apartment room, her other hand occupied with Cor, clinging to his hand, worried that somehow he'd disappear if she let him go for just one moment. Cor didn't seem to have any intention of leaving, but she couldn't help but face that tiny little concern. Of course, as soon as she thought it, Cor was pressed against her back, his hand trailing down her sides, and it was only after that that she managed to finish with the door and push it open.

It was the same room as always, Cor had been there before, but it felt... different, and she paused for that second to take it in, realize that Cor was hers, and he was here for her... that he loved her.

He eased the door closed behind them, and then came up to her, knuckles brushing along her jaw and then kissing her softly on her lips. Cor began to kiss at her neck, the scratchy beard brushing against the skin of her throat, and Iris looped her fingers through his belt to tug him further into her apartment.

The entire trip was a fumble, Iris's fingers working at his belt buckle, Cor's hands searching for a zipper first at her back and then her side, slowly tugging the clasp down one tooth at a time, and by the time they reached her bedroom, Iris raised her hands and the dress was tugged over her head in one smooth motion, leaving her in nothing but her bra and panties.

When she looked at him, his eyes were roaming over her, taking in the sight of her body, and if there was any doubt in her mind that Cor wanted her, it was gone with those eyes. His fingers took a moment to trace over a scratch at her shoulder, and then travel downward, touching her breasts, fingers finally coming to rest at her hips.

"You're... stunning," he said, voice rough, and Iris felt her heart hammer in her chest, allowing him a few more moments to look. She just loved the way his eyes drank her in, and looked so needy for her. It was heady and intoxicating to be looked at with so much desire and want...

She then took the hem of his shirt in hand and tugged it up, revealing perfect abs and a light dusting of hair on his chest, brown with a few flecks of gray. Iris looked over him, and then noted the the prominent blast scar at his shoulder, long healed. He was ridiculously broad, and tall, and after drinking her fill of the sight she brought her fingers to Cor's belt and began to unbuckle it, leaving the belt to drop to the floor, before beginning on his pants.

Iris glanced up at him at that, saw a bemused look that led to him kissing her nose when she didn't continue. The little huff he elicited from her only got her a chuckle. "Why are you so damn tall?"

He didn't have an answer, obviously, but he leaned in to scoop her up, lifting her with both of his hands on her ass and then easing her onto the bed. Iris took advantage of the position to luxuriate, and to scoot up her bed a bit, head finding her pillow and relaxing, boneless, as she watched Cor.

"Couldn't tell you," he answered, but he finished with the zip on his pants and tugged them off before he folded them in half and flung them onto the bed. His boxers were tented, and Iris felt her gaze go to his groin, teeth teasing with her bottom lip.

When he didn't come closer, Iris grumbled and leaned forward, rolling up onto her knees and then reaching out to the waistband and very carefully tugging the elastic over Cor's erection and leaving the boxers to pool at his feet, she reached out to touch the smooth skin, only for Cor to finally lean in and help her to her back, kissing at her throat again, a hand at her breast while the other rubbed against her hip.

"Cor, I..." She didn't know how to even describe it, just feeling... good, not because of a body to share comfort with but because it was _Cor_.

He looked up, and she dragged him in, the two of them kissing again, and Iris moaned as he brought his hand up to pin them together. A break for air later, and Iris gave him a nudge, rolling him onto his back before she began to explore his body, her fingers brushing against his broad pectorals and shoulders, straddling him just above his hips.

"You look incredible," he said, perhaps cliche, but he was so plainly genuine. He scrunched up, just for a moment, to fumble with the clasp of her bra and then peel the straps slowly down her shoulders, fingers brushing bare skin and causing her to shiver at the touch.

As much as she wanted him, as much as she desperately needed him, they spent their minutes touching, him exploring her breasts, her ribs, her belly and thighs, and Iris ran her hands over him, the strong expanse of his chest and abdomen. They took their time, hands questing, lips teasing and finding sensitive skin, and Iris more than enjoying the way she was just _allowed_ to touch and feel. It was hard not to compare to previous lovers, at least in the moment, and... she just got to _be_ with him. There was no... fear, no concern that he would be unkind... and she leaned down to kiss him again.

"This... I like this."

He smiled, and thankfully didn't laugh, instead he returned to his attentions at her throat, tugging her down to him and encouraging her to move against him. She scooted down, just enough to bring her spread legs down to his manhood and shifted herself against him.

The action spurred him to move, grabbing her butt and flipping them over, growling just a fraction. "Please tell me you have condoms," he said, reaching down to tug at her panties and Iris wriggled to get them down farther.

Iris reached up towards her nightstand, she'd bought them months ago when she and Cor had first started seeing each other - her father's warning not entirely unreasonable - and Cor shifted enough to follow her action, taking the box, realizing it was still closed, and then smiling.

"You take care of that," he said, smiling as he trailed his lips down her throat and breasts, taking a moment to kiss between her breasts and then nuzzling between them as he headed lower.

Iris didn't even realize his aim at first, only that she adored his lips on her, and when he reached her belly he pressed a kiss there, hands peeling her panties down the rest of the way and then kissing at her thigh. She quite happily parted her legs for him, especially when he started to touch her, sliding his fingers against her opening and then carefully slipping a finger inside of her. She groaned both her approval and frustration as that was not _nearly_ enough, and a second finger followed before he brought his mouth down to her entrance and she... yelped, startled.

Cor was off her in a moment, recoiling, almost burned. She reached out immediately, grabbing his wrist to keep him from pulling away further. "Sorry, I... um..." She didn't even know what to _say_. "I... no one's done that..."

Something flickered over his features, sad maybe, she didn't quite catch it, but he returned, at least, and he brought his fingers back to her entrance, watching her face now, and Iris arched up at that attention and he continued to push inside her, two fingers welcome as he thrust them into her. 

"Some other time," he said, voice hungry, and it made Iris's toes curl just the way he said that, and the way he hadn't even had her yet and was already eager for more.

Her own instructions remembered, she fumbled with the condom box for a moment, finally just ripping the entire top off and pulling out the condom wrapper. Iris had nothing to grab, so she just moved, scooting up so she could sit and then lean in to where Cor was at her thigh, legs parted as he held himself up on his knees, and it took a few moments to get the thing open and carefully roll it down Cor's length. She didn't resist the urge to stroke him, her hands almost tiny by comparison, and he felt him twitch under her hands.

"Good?" he asked, and Iris nodded, pulling him towards her and laying back down on the bed.

She then hooked a leg behind his back and waited for him to move. Cor pressed his manhood against her, rubbing along her slit a few times, making her whimper as he teased her clit before he pressed his tip to her and slipped inside of her. A few moments to adjust and Iris canted her hips up, taking him deeper and digging her fingers into Cor's shoulders.

"Cor," she said, gasped, moaning his name again as he trust into her.

He took his time, a hand on her butt urging their bodies together over and over again. "Iris... you're... Six you feel amazing."

She made a breathy noise of approval, nails scratching against his back and savoring the way he filled her, and then gasping when he reached down between them and started to touch her clit.

It didn't take long for her to get close, and she wrapped her legs both around Cor, locking him tight to her and he shifted, short, shallow thrusts driving into her. Iris continued to whimper, and continued to grab and cling, until he finally unraveled her and she came, clinching around him and gasping his name.

Iris felt him inside of her, and heard his soft groans in her ear. She kept them together like that, him still inside of her, and then long after she'd come down from her buzz and release Cor, her arm slung over her eyes, her breathing finally level, and all she could think was she felt... good.

A few moments later, a gentle hand nudged her wrist, revealing her eyes, and she looked up, gazing into Cor's blue eyes where she saw a question. She didn't know how to say what she needed to, so she just smiled, sweet and dopey and happy, and he seemed content enough with that to let her arm gently back over her eyes and he hopped out of bed for a moment, making the short trip to the bathroom, returning a minute or so later.

Iris shifted so she could press against him, and after that Cor reached out and tugged her close, his lips brushing her forehead.

"You..." he started, seemingly unable to pull words together, so instead he pulled her closer. "I love you."

She nodded, rolling so her forearms rested across his chest. "Yeah."

"You're worried to say it, aren't you?" he asked.

"... Yeah." She hated it, she wanted to say it. She felt it and didn't think she could stop but. "I am."

"It's fine," he assured her. "As long you're good."

"I am," she assured him in return. A moment later she reached up and ran a finger along his brow, just touching the hair there, and then leaning in to kiss his forehead. "Would you... um... stay the night? I'd like to wake up with you here."

"Of course," Cor answered.

Iris let out a relieved breath. She knew Cor wasn't... an ass, but that still meant it was nice to know that he would spend the night, would stick around... would grab her with both arms and hug her close. She smiled as she settled in at his shoulder.

They cuddled like that for quite some time, Iris finally dropping off with Cor against her back, arm slung at her waist. It felt... so damn good, warm and comfortable, happy and content... sated... and most assuredly loved.

She woke far too early to the sound of a ringing phone, and she groaned, trying to decide where the hell the phone was, and after a few scrambled moments, Cor eventually grabbed his phone.

"Leonis."

Iris was feeling quite happy and warm, and so she leaned into Cor's chest, and he wrapped his free arm around her, holding her. Only for him to draw back, and Iris frowned.

"Yes, um... I'll... do that, sir." He then hung up the phone and looked over at Iris, wincing. "That was your father, he called to invite you to breakfast."

"Why did he call your phone?"

"He... didn't." Cor then held up the phone, standard Crownsguard issue, Crownsguard ring... with a tiny little raven engraved at the bottom of the case, which she saw when he tilted the phone that way.

"... Oops."

"And now I'm invited to breakfast," Cor said. "And by 'invited' I'm fairly certain he meant I'm going to be there or he's going to find some way to murder me if I try to skip out."

Iris didn't know exactly how she felt about that, but, then again, Cor was her boyfriend... courting... person. She supposed there were at least a few rules on the matter.

"Well, shower?"

He nodded.

"Clothes?"

"I have spare fatigues in my office, I'll grab them to change into. Take the first shower."

"Nope," she answered. "I'm staying right here until you're back, and then we'll shower."

"Deal." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. "Please save me."

She giggled, taking her phone and carefully opening up the text chat: ' _don't kill him, please. _'__

' _Only if he's good to you_ '.

Iris watched Cor try to find his pants, scrunched up in the covers that had been kicked everywhere overnight and she snickered. 

' _The best_.'

' _Then I wouldn't worry too much, he is immortal after all._ '

She let the phone rest on her chest after that, and watched Cor turn to give her a little smile before he headed out of the apartment. A quick wave from her had him back at the bedside, his lips on hers, and then his nose nuzzling against hers before he pulled away.

' _Thanks, Dad._ '

' _My pleasure, Daughter._ '

__It would take a while... it always did, but Iris considered that maybe, just maybe, she could think about making Amicitia Manor her home._ _

__... As long as Cor could stay over._ _

__She smiled again at that thought, and then wriggled until she was in the warm divot that smelled like sleep and sun and Cor._ _

__"I love you," she said, even though he couldn't hear... she'd tell him, hopefully soon._ _


End file.
